PRESS RELEASE:

Every four seconds, a romance novel published by Harlequin or its British counterpart, Mills & Boon, is sold somewhere in the world. Julie Moggan’s Guilty Pleasures takes an amusing and touching look at this global phenomenon.

As part of its Women and Girls Lead Free Film Series, KUED presents a free screening and panel discussion of POV: Guilty Pleasures Wednesday, January 9 at 7:00 p.m. at the Utah Museum of Contemporary Art, 20 S. West Temple.

Ironies abound in the contrasts between everyday lives of the books’ readers and the fantasy worlds that offer them escape. Guilty Pleasures portrays five romance devotees who must, ultimately, find their dreams in the real world.

Panelists who will discuss the one-hour film and romance novels include:

Sarah M. Eden, author of multiple historical romances, including her Whitney Award finalists Seeking Persephone and Courting Miss Lancaster. Combining her obsession with history and affinity for tender love stories, Sarah loves crafting witty characters and romances. She has twice served as the Master of Ceremonies for the LDStorymakers Writers Conference. She also has been the Writer in Residence at the Northwest Writers Retreat.

Victoria Dahl lives with her family in a small town high in the Utah mountains. First published in 2007, she has since released more than 18 books and novellas, including three USA Today bestsellers. Several of her books have been nominated for the prestigious RITA® Award for excellence in the romance genre.

Margaret M. Toscano is an assistant professor of Classics and Comparative Literary and Cultural Studies at the University of Utah, where she also serves as the director of graduate studies for the Department of Languages and Literature.

Gender, myth, and religion are the focal points of Margaret’s research. She is both the co-editor and a chapter contributor for the book Hell and Its Afterlife: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives, published by Ashgate in 2010. She also has published extensively on Mormon feminism for the last 27 years, including many articles that have appeared in Sunstone Magazine and Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought.

Toscano is interested in the reworking of ancient myths and motifs in popular culture. She has published articles on Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight books, the film, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, and the HBO series, Rome.