Award-winning author Karen Rose Smith was born in Pennsylvania. Although she was an only child, she remembers the bonds of an extended family. Family is a strong theme in her books and she suspects her childhood memories are the reason. In college, Karen began writing poetry and also met her husband to be. They both began married life as teachers, but when their son was born, Karen decided to try her hand at a home-decorating business. She returned to teaching for a while but changes in her life led her to writing relationship novels. Now she writes romances as well as mysteries full time. Her first book was published in 1992; her 80th novel will be published in 2013. A winner of New Jersey's Golden Leaf Award in Short Contemporary Romance, Colorado Romance Writers Award Of Excellence for short contemporary, as well as the Phoenix Desert Rose Chapter's Golden Quill for Traditional Romance, she has also been honored with Cataromance.com's award for Best Special Edition and Washington Romance Writers Career Achievement Award. Her romances have made both the USA TODAY list and the Amazon Romance and Contemporary Romance Bestseller lists. She has written for Meteor/Kismet, Kensington, Silhouette and Harlequin. Readers can contact Karen through her website, on Facebook (Karen Rose Smith Author) and on Twitter @ Karenrosesmith. They can also follow her monthly e-zine IN TOUCH with KAREN ROSE SMITH which has the latest news about her books, recipes and contests.

Cheryl is the author of more than fifty historical and contemporary romances. Her stories have earned numerous RITA nominations, Romantic Times awards and are published in over a dozen languages. In describing her stories of second chances and redemption, readers and reviewers use words like, “emotional punch, hometown feel, core values, believable characters and real-life situations.” With a 4.9 star rating on amazon, her bestselling non-fiction book, Writing With Emotion, Tension & Conflict by Writers Digest Books is available in print and digital.

I'm not one of those people who knew from birth she was destined to become a writer. I always loved to read and throughout my childhood I could usually be found with a book in my hands. To the disgust of my friends, I even enjoyed creative writing assignments that made them all groan. But I had other dreams besides writing. I wanted to be an actress or a teacher or a lawyer. Life took a different turn for me, though, when my mother made me take a journalism elective in high school (thanks, Mom!). I knew the first day that this was where I belonged. After I graduated from college in journalism, I took a job at the local daily newspaper and I reveled in the challenge and the diversity of it. One day I could be interviewing the latest country music star, the next day I was writing about local motorcycle gangs or interviewing an award-winning scientist. Through it all—through the natural progression of my career from reporter to editor—I wrote stories in my head. Not just any stories, either, but romances, the kind of books I have devoured since junior high school, with tales about real people going through the trials and tribulations of life until they find deep and lasting love. I had no idea how to put these people on paper, but knew I had to try—their stories were too compelling for me to ignore. I sold my first book in 1995 and now, more than 30 books later, I've come to love everything about writing, from the click of the computer keys under my fingers to the "that's-it!" feeling I get when a story is flowing. I write full-time now (well, as full-time as I can manage juggling my kids!) amid the raw beauty of the northern Utah mountains. Even though I might not have dreamed of being a writer when I was younger, now I simply can't imagine my life any other way. I love to hear from readers. You can reach me at my email address, raeannethayne@gmail.com

Pamela Toth was encouraged to write romance fiction by Meg Chittenden. She makes her home in Seattle and is a USA Today bestselling author. She is also known as Pamela Roth. As an author for Silhouette Romance, Pamela Toth published two novels. As an author for Harlequin Temptation, Pamela Toth published two novels.

When life threw Judy Duarte a curve twenty years ago, she did what many newly single mothers do. She pulled herself and her four kids together, became even more determined to come out on top, and decided to start following her dreams. What better role model could she provide her children than to show them that anything is possible? So, she returned to school, graduating from UC Irvine about the same time her oldest kids hit the teen years. With her dream of getting her degree having come true, another dream presented itself by way of a new, perfect mate. Life was good again, but one dream still nagged at her: "I always knew there was a book inside me, but since English was my least favorite subject in school, I never considered myself a writer." All her life Judy has been spinning stories—telling tales to her kids as they grew up, plotting stories and creating characters to fill the time during carpool days and all those commutes back to college...and she never stopped dreaming of putting those stories on paper. Determined to follow her yearnings, she joined Romance Writers of America and met her critique partners Crystal Green and Sheri WhiteFeather (both are now multi-published award-winning authors and the trio have worked together and encouraged each other ever since). “I might not have been a born writer, but I was a storyteller. The characters and plots came easy, but I had to learn how to make the scenes in my head come alive for the reader. And that meant I had to learn how to write.” Judy's determination to become a published author grew and she began focusing on creating poignant stories designed to touch a reader's heart. As she fine-tuned her writing style and learned her craft, she found herself writing the stories she liked to read. Stories about families, second chances, and true love. In creating her own happily-ever-after stories she took ordinary characters, put them in emotionally compelling situations, and forced them to grow. They learned, as she had, that when a door is closed, they must look for that open window. “Since I love books and movies in which people must overcome insurmountable odds to win and earn their happy-ever-after, those are the kinds of tales I like to create.” Judy's unpublished stories won not only the coveted Emily (West Houston RWA Chapter) and Orange Rose (Orange County RWA Chapter) awards, but also earned her the status of a double RWA Golden Heart finalist in 2001. Then Judy's dream became a reality in March 2002 when Silhouette Special Edition released her first book, COWBOY COURAGE. Since then, she has published seventeen books and is contracted to write three more. Her stories have touched the hearts of readers around the world. Her tales of redemption and renewed trust generate many fan letters from readers who tell her of the positive impact reading her stories have had in their lives. A woman who had been shattered by her husband’s recent betrayal and desertion had not been able to read or watch anything that had a romance involved writes: I saw your book in the store, and the title caught my eye. (I have a thing for cowboys.) When I read the back cover, I bought it and couldn’t put it down. I finished it in one day. I still have my doubts about meeting a decent man and trusting again. But maybe in time I will be able to love again. I will be watching for your next book. In July 2005, Judy won the prestigious Reader's Choice Award for THE RICH MAN'S SON. “When I received the call telling me I had finaled in the Reader’s Choice, I was thrilled beyond measure. Being judged by real readers and recognized as a finalist was a joy in itself. I went to the ceremony honored to be in attendance. And when they announced me the winner, tears came to my eyes and a lump formed in my throat. It took days for my feet to touch the ground.” Judy makes her home near the beach in Southern California with her husband, their son, and a cat

**Since I'm intimately familiar with the blood, sweat, and tears that go into producing a book, I will only be listing my 4-and 5-star reads. We don't all like the same fare (as is evidenced by some of the Goodreads ratings on my own work!), so if I don't love a book, you won't see it on my page. I'm not interested in bashing anyone else's creative efforts or negatively influencing anyone's reading choices. This is PURELY my choice, and how you review is up to you. On with the bio.** Lynda Sandoval is a former police officer-turned fiction writer with 22 published (or soon to be published) books to her credit. She's written women's fiction and nonfiction for HarperCollins Rayo; romance for Silhouette Special Edition; a romantic novella for Avon A; and young adult novels and novellas for Simon & Schuster and Houghton Mifflin. She launched her career with five award-winning books for Kensington Bouquet and Pinnacle Encanto, and her popular nonfiction text published by Gryphon Books for Writers, True Blue: An Insider's Guide to Street Cops—For Writers, is still selling strong. Lynda also works half-time as an emergency 9-1-1 dispatcher for the Fire/EMS Department, teaches writing for Long Ridge Writer's Group, volunteers at a GLBTQ youth center and speaks regularly to book groups and clubs. Lynda's Awards: Look of Love/Pinnacle Encanto/1999 2000 Rising Star award One and Only/Pinnacle Encanto/2001 4-1/2 star Gold Medal Top Pick in Romantic Times 2002 Golden Quill Award, Short Contemporary Thief of Hearts/Pinnacle Encanto/2001 2003 Colorado Romance Writers' Keeper Award 2002 Beacon Award, Long Contemporary Finalist, 2002 Booksellers' Best Contest, Long Contemporary Finalist, 2002 Golden Quill award, Long Contemporary Unsettling/HarperCollins Rayo/2004 2005 Write Touch Readers' Award, Mainstream Fiction 2005 Laurie Award of Excellence, Single Title Fiction 2005 The Lories, Mainstream Fiction 2005 The Lories, Best of the Best Published 2005 Colorado Romance Writers' Award of Excellence, Mainstream Fiction 2nd place, 2005 More than Magic Award, Mainstream Fiction 2nd place, 2005 Beacon Award, Mainstream Fiction Finalist, 2005 Golden Quill Award, Mainstream Fiction Finalist, 2005 Aspen Gold Award, Single Title Fiction Finalist, 2005 National Readers' Choice Award, Single Title Fiction And Then There Were Three/Silhouette Special Edition/2004 Two weeks on the Waldenbooks Series Bestsellers' List, peaking at #3 2nd place, 2005 The Lories, Long Contemporary Finalist, 2005 Colorado Romance Writers' Award of Excellence, Long Contemporary Finalist, 2005 Orange Rose Award, Long Contemporary One Perfect Man/Silhouette Special Edition/2004 2005 Holt Medallion, Long Contemporary 2005 Write Touch Readers' Award, Long Contemporary 3rd place, 2005 More than Magic Award, Long Contemporary Honorable Mention, 2005 Barclay Gold Award, Long Contemporary Finalist, 2005 Colorado Romance Writers' Award of Excellence, Long Contemporary Who's Your Daddy?/Simon Pulse/2004 Finalist, Colorado Endowment for the Humanities' Colorado Book Award, Young Adult Literature 2007 Evergreen Young Adult Book Award nominee 2005 ALA Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Readers 2005 New York Public Library's Books for the Teen Age 2005 National Readers' Choice Award, Young Adult Literature 2005 Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, Young Adult Literature Chicks Ahoy/Simon Pulse/2005 2006 ALA Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Readers 2006 Books that Kids Love and Parents Hate, Cleveland Public Library System The Other Sister/Silhouette Special Edition/2007 Nominee, 2007 Romantic Times BOOKCLUB Best Special Edition of the Year Borders Group/Waldenbooks Series Romance Bestseller www.LyndaSandoval.com

Laurie Paige grew up on a farm in Kentucky, four miles from the Tennessee border, with four older brothers and two older sisters. Before she started school her family moved to town. That is when she discovered the library. She met her husband, Bob, in the Sweet Shop. She has a degree in mathematics and works as a computer engineer. Laurie loves to hear from readers so email her: LauriePaige@AOL.com.

Women's fiction and romance author Lilian Darcy has written more than eighty novels for Harlequin, Silhouette, Mira Australia, and Mills & Boon. Under another name she has also written for Australian theater and television. Lilian's career highlights include many appearances on the Waldenbooks Romance Bestsellers list, five nominations for the Romance Writers of America's presitious Rita Award, and translation into twenty different languages. Lilian has an active family life involving kids, chickens, cats, music, scouting, gardening, hiking and horses. Oh, and there's a husband in there somewhere, too. Her upcoming releases include the first book in her Cherry Sisters trilogy, "The One Who Changed Everything" from Harlequin Special Edition, and a novella, "Marry Me, Cowboy" for Tule Publishing's Copper Mountain Rodeo mini-series, part of the exciting new Montana Born series, with authors such as Jane Porter, Megan Crane and C.J. Carmichael.

Marie Rydzynski-Ferrarella aka Marie Charles, Marie Michael, Marie Nicole, Marie Ferrarella Marie Rydzynski was born on March 28 in West Germany to Polish parents. She moved to America at the age of four. For an entire year, Marie and her family explored the eastern half of the country before finally settling in New York. Marie swears she was born writing, "which must have made the delivery especially hard for my mother." From an early age, Marie's parents would find her watching television or tucked away in some private place, writing at a furious pace. "Initially, I began writing myself into my favourite shows. I was a detective on '77 Sunset Strip,' the missing Cartwright sibling they never talked about on 'Bonanza' and the 'Girl from U.N.C.L.E.' before there was a 'Girl from U.N.C.L.E.,' not to mention an active participant in the serialized stories of 'The Mickey Mouse Club.'" Marie began to write her first romance novel when she was 11 years old, although she claims that, at the time, she didn't even realize it was a romance! She scribbled off and on, while dreaming of a career as an actress. Marie was only 14 when she first laid eyes on the man she would marry, truly her first love, Charles Ferrarella. During her days at Queens College, New York, acting started to lose its glamour as Marie spent more and more time writing. After receiving her English degree, specialising in Shakespearean comedy, Marie and her family moved to Southern California, where she still resides today. After an interminable seven weeks apart, Charles decided he couldn't live without her and came out to California to marry his childhood sweetheart. Ever practical, Marie was married in a wash-and-wear wedding dress that she sewed herself, appliqués and all. "'Be prepared' has always been my motto,"the author jokes. This motto has been stretched considerably by her two children, Nikky and Jessi, "but basically, it still applies," she says. In November of 1981, she sold her first novel for Harlequin. Marie, who now has written over 150 novels, has one goal: to entertain, to make people laugh and feel good. "That's what makes me happy," she confesses. "That, and a really good romantic evening with my husband." She's keeping her fingers crossed that her reader's enjoy reading her books as much as she enjoyed writing them.

Gina is known as: Gina Ferris, Gina Ferris Wilkins and Gina Wilkins. If looking for a specific book please check all names. Gina Wilkins sold her first book to Harlequin in 1987, and has been writing full-time ever since, publishing more than 90 books for Harlequin/Silhouette. Her books are translated into 20 languages. A lifelong resident of central Arkansas, she attended Arkansas State University, obtaining a degree in journalism. She pursued careers in advertising and human resource development before achieving her lifelong goal of becoming a published writer. The bestselling author is a four-time winner of the prestigious Maggie Award for Excellence sponsored by the Georgia Romance Writers, and has won several awards from the reviewers of Romantic Times magazine. She was a recent nominee for a Career Achievement Award from Romantic Times. A member of Romance Writers of America, Diamond State Romance Authors and Novelists, Inc., she is a past president of Fiction Writers of Central Arkansas. She is a frequent speaker at writers’ conferences, civic organizations and in middle and senior high schools, where she focuses on literacy and goal setting. Gina and John, her husband of more than 30 years, have raised three “extraordinary” children, two daughters and a son, all pursuing careers in science and medicine.