When I first started using Twitter I followed @kcweather, a few people I knew, and a few librarians. As I got more daring, I branched out and started following authors. The first few I followed were people like @neilhimself (Neil Gaiman), @longshotauthor (Jim Butcher), and Warren Ellis @warrenellis and while they were entertaining they had too many followers to be able to interact with their fans in any meaningful way.

One night, I was complaining about this with a fellow Twitter buddy, and she suggested I start following @EloisaJames, because if you posted a meaningful comment to her, she would usually respond. Plus, she was living in Paris at the time, and one could live vicariously through her and look at endless pictures of shoes and chocolate and other fun Parisian items. After receiving a few kind and friendly responses from her, I decided to follow two other members of her author posse, @TeresaMedeiros and @ConnieBrockway.

That’s is when I discovered how much more fun romance authors were having than all of the rest of us.  

What I discovered: They are silly and irreverent and don’t take themselves as seriously (for the most part) as many other genre authors. Exhibit A:

They are also fiercely loyal to their fans and the genre they write for. They try to make every day an adventure – unless they have writers block, in which case it’s best for loyal fans to back away slowly and perhaps send chocolate. Even when they can’t respond to your tweets, they’re fun to watch.

Below is a list of great romance authors, along with their self-penned Twitter bios. In most cases, if they aren’t overwhelmed with followers, they’ll follow you back, and they will almost always answer a question or talk with you if you talk directly to them. If you want more authors to follow, just look at these authors’ follow lists. They are filled with well-known and new authors, and many are great to follow. I hope you enjoy following these authors as much as I have.

The Best Romance Authors on Twitter

@ChristinaDodd (Christina Dodd) – New York Times author of paranormal, historical, suspense. Writing tips & humor. Fun website, too!

@MadelineHunter (Madeline Hunter) – NYT bestselling historical romance writer, college prof, art lover, art glass collector.

@ElizabethHoyt (Elizabeth Hoyt) – Famous historical romance writer!

@Eve_Silver (Eve Silver) – Author. Wrangler of energetic dogs. Dessert lover. Voracious reader. Fan of sunshine & warm breezes. I don't auto-follow, but I do check @ mentions.

@marjoriemliu (Marjorie M Liu) - Novelist, comic book writer, adventurer, and attorney!

@sherrythomas (Sherry Thomas) – Award-winning Historical Romance author. Sherry has no idea how Twitter works, btw. She mainly uses it to update her blog.

@meljean (Meljean Brook) - Author of urban fantasy and steampunk romances. I don't automatically follow, but I do check replies.

@JuliaFLondon (Julia London) – New York Times bestselling author of fiction for all women and a few good men

@laurendane (Lauren Dane) – Writer. Wrangler of Small People. Wife and PITA. Can't autofollow but I read @replies!

@ilona_andrews (Ilona Andrews) - Writer of urban fantasy: chicks in leather with guns and swords and monsters who love them.

@gailcarriger (Gail Carriger) – Archaeologist meets tea obsessed NYT best selling author of comic steampunk urbane fantasy. Soulless, Changeless, Blameless, Heartless, Timeless.

@courtneymilan (Courtney Milan) - author of romance novels set in early Victorian England

@cmpriest (Cherie Priest) – Tiny Godzilla since 1975

@megcabot (Meg Cabot) – I write! Books for you, your sister, your best friend, your mother . . . . even for men with good taste!

@JeannieLin (Jeannie Lin) – I write historical romances set in Tang Dynasty China

@JayneAnnKrentz (Jayne Ann Krentz) – Jayne Ann Krentz is the New York Times bestselling author of the Arcane Society series.

@JulieAnneLong (Julie Anne Long) – Bestselling Author of Pennyroyal Green series for Avon. I live in CA with a fat orange cat.

@maya_banks Maya Banks – New York Times and USA Today bestselling romance author and die hard southern girl whose mantra is wtf?

@LarissaIone Larissa Ione – New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of dark paranormal romances full of sex, violence, and bad words! Yay!

@kresleycole (Kresley Cole) – NYT bestselling author of the Immortals After Dark Series. Loves movies, fishing, boats. Means well. Has plans to take things more seriously one day.

@juljames Julie James - Lawyer-turned-screenwriter-turned-author (how's that for a mouthful?)

@kenyonsherrilyn Sherrilyn Kenyon - Is off playing with her imaginary friends. She'll be back to play on Twitter when they drive her crazy. Oh wait, too late LOL.

@NaliniSingh Nalini Singh - Paranormal/Urban Fantasy Writer

Your turn: What authors do you follow on Twitter, romance or otherwise?

About the Genre-Reading Librarian

Alicia Ahlvers is branch manager at the Kansas City Public Library's Waldo Community Library and has been with the library for 15 years. She is active in the American Library Association and has served on both the Notable Books Council Award committee and The Reading List book award committee. She also works evenings and weekends for UMKC Miller Nichols Library.