While still in her teens, Anna DePalo began her first novel. She wishes she could say that this early manuscript went on to receive numerous accolades and to bring her fame and fortune. Instead, that first attempt—well, all three pages of it—hit the trash heap, and she understood why many authors have burned their papers for posterity. She has lived in Italy and England, graduated from Harvard, earned an advanced degree in political science, and practiced intellectual property law. One day, she decided to give fiction writing another try, believing that having done some more living would help her tell the truth about life in the pages of made-up stories. This time she didn’t stop at three pages—or even ninety-three. That first finished manuscript soon sold to Harlequin, became a bestseller and award-winner, and has been published in over twenty countries to date. Anna's books have hit the USA Today best-seller list, and have won the RT Book Club Reviewers' Choice Award, the OCCRWA Book Buyer’s Best, the NJRW Golden Leaf, and the NECRWA Readers' Choice. She lives with her husband, son and daughter in New York.

Hi there. Thanks for stopping by! I'll tell you right off that I don't like reading my own bios, let alone writing them. It's like tooting your own horn. But if you're here, then you want to know something about me. So how about I break some ‘writers have a glamorous life' myths first off. Myth 1: Writers have always been writers. Not me. I was a licensed cosmotologist for years, and didn't even put pen to paper until I was 30. (with an infant and 3 year old) It took me 3 years to write my first book, and while it taught me a lot, it was dreadful ! Got rejected 6 times flat out. I burned it in the back yard when I sold my 20 th book. I've kept the first pages to remind myself of how far I've come. Myth 2: writers have a staff to take care of them and their homes while they write. I wish! I don't have a maid, a cook, or anyone who works for me, except maybe Shelley, who maintains this site. Like most women out there, I do all the cooking, cleaning, bills, shopping, etc. Sometimes I can be seen driving the riding lawnmower over our 2 acres. That's not a complaint. I'm a Marine's wife, and my husband was gone a lot, so I had to do it. I'm the only female in a house of men, so I pretty much rule too. And as the daughter, wife, and now the mother of US Marines, believe me, I can give orders when need be. Myth 3. Writers work when the muse hits them. If I did, I'd never meet a deadline. Writing isn't about the muse coming to you; it's about unleashing bottled creativity and giving it freedom on paper. Every writer I know feels a deep internal need to tell their particular story and hope you're entertained. Writers HAVE to write. Yeah, sure, sometimes the creativity isn't moving like we want, but like everyone who faces some problem, I go to my friends and they come through in a punch. By the way, I work at my job from about 7 am till 4, sometimes later if it's going great and I don't want to stop. Weekends are for playing, projects or gardening. I actually love pulling weeds; it makes my mind drift to good places. Myth 4: Writers get paid oodles of money. Oodles?? If I did, I'd have a staff and a better-looking office. But I get to go to work in the worlds' sloppiest clothes. Myth 5: Once a writer sells a book, they can sell anything else. Want to see my rejection file? I could wallpaper a bathroom with it. To keep selling is the really hard part of this job. However, my idea of a great story isn't often blending with the editors. It's frustrating and often, it hurts, since the books writers create have, without a doubt, a piece of them inside. But then, if you can't take it, then this isn't the business for you. My second book (#1 being the dreadful one I burned) My Timeswept Heart was a finalist in the Romance Writers of America, Golden Heart contest for unpublished works. I didn't win, but it got my work before my Kensington editor. It came out in '93 and I've sold over 30 since. With numerous rejections in between. Right now, I'm writing books I've wanted to write for three years, Romantic Thrillers. Think Peacemaker or Chain Reaction with a little more romance in them. Lots of action and danger. After writing books in 5 sub genres of romance, (I get bored easily) this new one is the chance for me to use all this military knowledge I've stored up for years. I've fired weapons, rappelled, ridden in an Armored Personnel Carrier, and did some Scuba diving in the East China Sea. It hasn't been boring, and because I write, it never will be. Now that my Sergeant Major husband is retired, and my sons are grown and towering over their mother, we get to stay in one place. How average. I love it. When I feel the itch to move every 3 years, I just redecorate. Well, its time for me to get back to work. Thanks for visiting. Take a look around the site, drop me a note, even read the first chapter of a new novel, if you like. It's out there for you, the reader. I wouldn't be loving my job if you weren't

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.

Bestselling Silhouette author and double Rita finalist Emilie Rose has sold 30+ projects to Harlequin/Silhouette since her first sale in 2001, and her books have been released in over 20 countries around the globe. She's back to working a 9-5 job and writing is taking a backseat right now.

And they lived happily ever after. I’ve always loved that sentence. There is such hope in those words, such faith in the future and ever-after love. I’ve always been a believer, which led me to being a reader of romance novels long before I began to write them. The dance of courtship between a man and a woman, sometimes slow and bluesy, sometimes wild and uninhibited, is sheer bliss to me. And the best part about writing is creating these two dancers who find their perfect partners out of all the other people on the planet. What brings them together? What could tear them apart? Why do they stick it out through the bad times? Why do they fall more in love with each other every day? Finding the answers to these questions intrigues me. Who are you? I ask them. Some characters give me an hour-long monologue; others clam up until I push the right buttons. Eventually, I get them all to talk, even if I have to torture them a little. On my journey to becoming a writer, I did a lot of the usual things—married, had children, attended college a little later than the average coed and earned a B.A. in English. Some not-so-usual things happened, too. Life constantly changes, and so we must grow. It’s not a bad thing. I’ve been fortunate enough to win some awards and receive some honors, which are listed elsewhere on this site. I’ve had the great privilege of working with an exceptional editor from my first book on. My community of writers spans the entire country—smart, funny and loyal people who share and give and support. Without them, this once-upon-a-time journey wouldn’t be anywhere near as fun.