Dixie Burrus was born on September 09, 1930 in North Carolina's Outer Banks, U.S.A, where her family had lived for generations, to sea captain Dozier Burrus and Achsah Williams. Her father was the professional baseball player Maurice Lennon "Dick" Burrus, she has two sisters, Mary and Sarah Burrus. Dixie is an artist and romance writer. She began writting contemporany romance novels as Zoe Dozier, now she writes her contemporary romances with her married name, Dixie Browning, and historical romances with her sister, Mary Burrus Williams as Bronwyn Williams, one combination of their married names. She has been awarded a Romance Writers of America RITA Award, and been a five-time RITA finalist. She has also won three Maggies, and numerous awards from the National Federation of Press Women and the NC Press Club.

Metsy Hingle is the national #1 best-selling author of more than twenty novels. Known for creating powerful and passionate stories, Metsy’s own life reads like the plot of a romance novel–from her early years in a New Orleans’ orphanage and foster care to her long, happy marriage to her husband Jim and the rearing of their four children. With more than three million copies of her books in print, Metsy’s novels frequently appear on national bestseller lists and have been published in twenty-four foreign countries. Her novels have also garnered a number of awards–including the R.W.A.’s Golden Heart Award, the Texas Gold Award, the Golden Quill Award, two Beacon Awards and two W.I.S.H. Awards from Romantic Times Magazine, as well as multiple Reviewer’s Choice and Career Achievement nominations from Romantic Times. Despite the destruction of Hurricane Katrina and the devastating personal losses in the Hingle family, Metsy’s home in Louisiana is safe and sound. Metsy says there was never any question that she would return and be a part of the rebirth of her beloved city. To that end, Metsy has pledged 10% of her earnings from “BLACK SILK” to the New Orleans area Habitat for Humanity. To learn more about Metsy’s pledge, visit her website at www.metsyhingle.com. Metsy resides across the lake from New Orleans with her husband and a bossy toy poodle named Molly Brown. She is currently hard at work on her next novel.

Jean M. Heaton, alias Caroline Cross, lives and write just outside of Seattle with her husband and daughters, one very large hairy dog and one picky little Siamese cat. She says: "I will never forget the first time I read a Silhouette Desire. An avid reader of everything *except* category romance, I was surprised to find myself swept up in the magic of two strong people falling irrevocably in love against all odds. It was both a moving and exhilarating experience, and one I do my best to recreate for my readers. For me, every new book is an adventure. I love strong, larger-than-life heroes, heroines with the courage to take chances, the roller coaster ride of two special people coming together – and always, happy endings."

The only thing Cindy had in mind when she started writing her first book was finishing it. The issue of actually selling it came much later. Only after she made that life-altering first sale did she realize that one book would never be enough. Now, over 20 books and numerous awards later, Cindy laughingly admits that she can barely remember life before...well, was there life before writing? Actually, yes there was, and still is. A professional career woman, Cindy is a trainer for the Iowa Department of Human Services, a position she states is both challenging and rewarding. "Human Services is a front-line, real-life event. Everything about the job is immediate, from serving families in crisis, to assisting staff with difficult situations, to meeting tension-fraught deadlines." Cindy's career has taught her much about the human condition, its frailties, its strengths, and its spirit. The evocative emotions that pour from the pages of her books are a reflection of some of her work experiences. Her writing celebrates life's richness and trials, offering a wide range of emotions—hope and elation, anger and indecision, laughter and, of course, love. And, according to her readers, her powerful love scenes run the gamut from steamy to tender to lusty to just plain fun. Cindy's writing has netted her spots on bestseller lists, numerous RT nominations and awards, the Colorado Romance Writers Award of Excellence, a National Reader's Choice Award and two RITA nominations. Between writing and working full time you wouldn't think Cindy would have much time for anything else. And while she does find her work and her writing rewarding, there does have to be more. Cindy has more. Much more. She is happily married to the perfect man. Tom's a cowboy, ladies! Yes, even Iowa has its share of that saddle-straddling, Wrangler-wearing species who love their horses almost as much as they love their women. As a matter of fact, recently a whole herd of Texans gathered at the Gerard "Ranch" to treat their little ones to real horseback rides. Go figure. Cindy has a passion for pink depression glass—she always has her eye out for the special piece to add to her collection. Cindy's down time often takes the form of the classic "busman's holiday." She loves to read and most of all, she loves to read at their summer place, a cabin in the woods on Lake Kabetogama in northern Minnesota. Both Tom and Cindy enjoy gardening and have recently expanded their annual beds into a perennial garden. Cindy says she can hardly wait for spring and the promise of all that reawakening and the colorful blooms. In addition to the horses, the Gerards have two dogs, Ellie and Boomer, who pretty much get anything they want. Tom and Cindy have one son, Kyle, who, after years of keeping them in suspense, found Eileen, the perfect woman. http://us.macmillan.com/author/cindyg...