Readers For Life
The Readers for Life literacy autographing is held annually in conjunction with the Romance Writers of America Annual Conference. Traditionally held on the Wednesday evening before the conference begins, the autographing features hundreds of authors. Publishers traditionally donate books to be signed and all proceeds are given to literacy organizations.
The autographing was the result of efforts by Alfie Thompson (writing as Val Daniels, a former member of the RWA Board of Directors and debuted at the 10th Annual Conference. This 1990 conference was held in San Francisco and raised $2,000 for the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy. RWA partnered with ProLiteracy Worldwide (formerly Laubach Literacy International) in 1991, and has raised over $500,000 for literacy through this program.