Deborah Hotaling Schneider ’75 believes the love of a good story can blossom into romance for any reader.

Romance novels are books that shouldn’t be judged by their covers, said Schneider, who was named Librarian of the Year by the 10,000-member Romance Writers of America organization in July.

“They’re just human stories. They’re just about people,” said Schneider. “Human relationships are what make good stories.”

Part of her job as the public programming coordinator for the King County Library System in Washington allows her to promote the literary genre she fell in love with at Oswego.

Schneider picked up romance novels in college as an alternative to her required reading. She wrote some poems and short stories that eventually grew into much longer compositions.

Schneider published her first book, Beneath a Silver Moon, in 2002. A second, Promise Me, is due out this month.

Schneider manages a variety of programming — including workshops and meet-the-author events — for the 44-library King County system that includes metropolitan Seattle. She embraces any opportunity to convert skeptics.

“First, I tell people to read one,” Schneider said. There are numerous subgenres including suspense, mystery, urban fantasy, paranormal and the ever-popular vampire romance. “Once people start to explore it (they’re) amazed at the selection.”

A history major at Oswego, Schneider sets her two published books in Victorian-era Montana.

No matter what the novels are about, she said, the good-romance rules always apply: great characters, a compelling relationship, a good story arc and the proverbial ride into the sunset.

“People want the escape; they want the happy ending.”

-- Shane M. Liebler

PHOTO CAPTION:
Deborah Schneider '75 was recently named Librarian of the year by the Romance Writers of America.

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