I've always been a reader. I've also been a movie theater ticket taker, a nanny, a camp counselor, and a romance editor. Now I'm a mom and a writer who still spends most of my free time reading (when I'm not watching too much TV). After starting off in romance with books like Hot Date and Pictures of Us, I'm writing in the genre I've always loved most, young adult fiction. (My very first completed novel, which will live forever under my bed, was a young adult novel!) Cold Kiss will be available from HarperTeen in September 2011.

Janice Maynard came to the writing life early! When her third grade short story, “The Princess and the Robbers”, won a red ribbon in a school arts fair, Janice was hooked. She followed up that early success with a more commercial piece in the sixth grade… “Why My Mom Loves To Drink Coke”. No advance for that one, but she won a six-pack of Coke… remember those great little bottles? In junior high Janice began circulating her work to a wider audience. A dozen or so notebook pages stapled together made the rounds in some particularly boring classes, with the riveting tales carefully hidden behind textbooks. High school meant the big time… editor of the school newspaper, the Maroon and White. Janice used her insightful editorials to delve into such meaty subjects as “locker room odor” and “why we need two-ply tissue in the student bathrooms”. College brought lots of writing, but very little of it creative… four years later, Janice stepped into the adult world as a fully certified elementary teacher. Despite motherhood, full-time employment, and keeping up with an “always into something” husband, Janice never lost her love of writing or the desire to be published. In 1996 she realized her long-time dream when Kensington Publishing bought her first book, Sweetheart. That exciting moment was followed by the sales of two more books in the Precious Gem line. In the fall of 2002, Janice left the classroom to pursue writing full-time.

Since first publishing in January 1996, Lori Foster has become a USA Today, Publisher’s Weekly and New York Times bestselling author. Lori has published through a variety of houses, including Kensington, St. Martin’s, Harlequin, Silhouette, Samhain, and Berkley/Jove. She is currently published with HQN. Lori hosts a very special annual “Reader & Author” event in West Chester, Ohio. Proceeds from the event have benefited many worthy causes, including the Hamilton County YWCA Battered Women’s Shelter, the Animal Adoption Foundation, The Conductive Learning Center for children with spina bifida and cerebral palsy, and The One Way Farm, Children’s Home. Each year Lori donates all proceeds from one book to charity. You can see the benefit romance books here: http://lorifoster.com/benefit-books/ Career Highlights •In 2001, Lori received the prestigious Romantic Times “Career Achievement Award” for Series Romantic Fantasy. •In 2002, Lori’s book Too Much Temptation was the top-selling romance title for Amazon books. •In 2003, Say No To Joe was the second “Bestselling Original Contemporary” romance title for Waldenbooks. •In 2004, Lori Foster was a clue in the New York Times crossword puzzle. •In 2004, The Secret Life of Bryan was the “Bestselling Original Contemporary” romance title for the BGI group. •In 2005, Lori received the prestigious Romantic Times “Career Achievement Award” for Contemporary Romance. •In 2006, Jude’s Law was the “Bestselling Romantic Comedy” romance title for the BGI group. •In 2007, Lori launched a new “urban fantasy” series under the name L.L. Foster. See more on her “dark side” at www.llfoster.com. •In 2007, Causing Havoc was among Amazon’s Top Ten Editor’s picks in Romance. •In 2008, Hard to Handle made #2 on The New York Times. •In 2009, Servant: The Acceptance was Amazon’s #1 Editors’ Pick in Romance. •In 2010, Lori was a clue in the USA Today Quick Cross puzzle.