Catherine Kean, who also writes contemporary fiction under the pen name Cate Lord, has always loved romantic stories. Her debut medieval romance Dance of Desire was the launch title of Medallion Press's Sapphire Jewel Imprint. Dance of Desire won two Reviewer’s Choice Awards, Best Medieval in industry review magazine Affaire de Coeur’s 2006 Reader-Writers’ Poll, and finaled in four contests for published romance novelists. Her other books have also garnered accolades. My Lady's Treasure won the historical category of the 2008 Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence Contest and was a finalist in the 2008 Next Generation Indie Book Awards. A Knight’s Reward finaled in the 2008 National Readers’ Choice Awards. Foreign rights to her novels were sold to Germany and Thailand. Grateful for her active imagination and plenty of story ideas, Catherine is busy working on her next novel. She lives in Florida with her husband, daughter, and spoiled cat. For the latest news on her books, please visit her website at www.catherinekean.com.

Cindy Kirk sold her first book in 1999 as a result of a contest win which garnered a critique of the entire manuscript. Patience Bloom, now Senior Editor for Romantic Suspense at Harlequin, not only critiqued the manuscript, she bought it! And she’s still Cindy’s editor today. An author of twenty-five books for Harlequin, Cindy has also written two contemporary romances for Avon. Cindy has been a Booksellers’ Best Award Winner, a finalist for the National Readers’ Choice Awards and a Waldenbooks/Borders best seller.

Emily McKay loves reading, on-shopping, watching movies and drinking coffee. As a mother of two small children, she rarely has time to do any of those things for more than a few minutes at a time. She lives in central Texas with her husband, kids, and pets where she writes, bakes and avoids housework.

Janette Kenny is a USA Today Bestselling author, writing western historical romances for Kensington, and passionately intense contemporary romances for Harlequin Presents. Her westerns were featured selections in Doubleday and Rhapsody book clubs, and have won the Aspen Gold, and More than Magic Reader's Choice awards. Her contemporary romances have been translated into Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and German. Jan loves to hear from her readers. Visit www.jankenny.com for the latest news.

Katherine Garbera is the national best-selling author of more than 50 books. Writing is the chief focus of her time after her family and the only thing she likes more than working on her own books is reading other authors. She is a frequent speaker at conferences and loves the opportunity to talk about writing with anyone who'll listen. Garbera started making up stories for her own benefit when she was on a competitive swim team in high school. Though she went to State and usually medaled at swim meets, Katherine says her heart wasn't in swimming but rather in the stories she created as she swam laps at practice. She worked for The Walt Disney World Company for 15 years and did everything from being a hostess on It’s a Small World, to saving swimmers at the Grand Floridian Resort, to touring around VIPs such as Jack Valenti at the Disney-MGM Studios and being a production page on the New Mickey Mouse Club--yes, it might be possible that Britney, Justine and Christina owe her a nod of thanks for keeping all those kids who had to go to the bathroom from interrupting their performances. Her books have been featured in magazines such as REDBOOK (11/98)and have even been featured on the large JumboTron in Times Square, and excerpted in COSMO (7/10) Her latest release THE PIRATE is the second book in her Savage Seven series featuring a group of mercenaries. The story is ripped from the headlines and features a group of pirates who attack a tanker off the coast of Somalia. Email her at kathy@katherinegarbera.com

Elise Rome has never forgiven Margaret Mitchell for making her fall in love with Scarlett and Rhett in Gone with the Wind and then not giving them a happy ending. She likes to think that she makes up for the injustice done to Scarlett and Rhett with each romance novel she writes. When she isn't telling stories about sexy, headstrong heroes and intelligent, independent heroines, Elise stays busy chasing after her two young daughters, semi-attempting to do housework, and hiking in the beautiful foothills of Colorado.

Kristan Higgins is a New York Times bestselling author and two-time winner of the Romance Writers of America RITA Award. Her books have been called "perfect entertainment for a girl's night in" (Booklist), "hilarious and heartfelt" (Romance Junkies) and "the best I've ever read" (Kristan's husband). Kristan is the mother of two lovely children, the wife of a firefighter and the owner of a very naughty dog. She loves to eat out, watch movies and of course, read.

Margo Maguire's first career was as an Intensive Care nurse in a large urban trauma center, and writing was just a pastime that helped her unwind after a wild day in the Unit. Soon her writings turned into a full-length book, and with that, the beginning of a new chapter in her life. No more gunshot wounds or traumatic head injuries-except for the ones that occur on the pages of her books. The author of 19 historical romance novels, translated into twenty languages, Margo lives in Michigan with her husband. She is pleased and content to have her daughter and two sons living nearby.

Award winning author, Nancy Robards Thompson has reinvented herself numerous times. After earning a degree in journalism, she worked many jobs including newspaper reporter, television show stand-in, production and extras casting for movies, and several jobs in the fashion industry and public relations arena. She started writing fiction seriously in 1997. Five years and four completed manuscripts later, she won the Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart award for unpublished writers in July 2002, and sold her first book the following February. Since then, Nancy has found Nirvana doing what she loves most – writing contemporary and historical women’s fiction and romance full-time. She has fourteen published books (published as Nancy Robards Thompson and Elizabeth Robards), which critics have deemed “…funny, smart and observant.” Her novels have been translated into Dutch, Italian, French, Polish and Korean, among other languages. In October, she contracted with Harlequin Books to write three more Harlequin Special Editions, which will be released in 2012. Most recently, she contracted with Harlequin Special Edition to contribute to their on-going “Fortunes of Texas” series. That book, tentatively titled “An Unexpected Fortune,” will be released in May 2012. For more information, please visit her website NancyRobardsThompson.com or contact her at NRobardsThompson@yahoo.com.

A life-long lover of stories and adventure, it was either become a stuntwoman for the movies or live out those adventures from the safety of her PJ’s and computer. Award-winning author, Robyn DeHart chose the latter and couldn’t be happier for doing so. Known for her unique plotlines and authentic characters, Robyn is a favorite among readers and reviewers. Publishers' Weekly claims her writing to be "comical and sexy" while the Chicago Tribune dubs her "wonderfully entertaining." Robyn is a three-time RT Bookclub Reviewers' Choice award nominee, and her book Seduce Me won for the 2009 Best Historical Romantic Adventure. The same book also won the inaugural RomCon Reader’s Crown award. In March, Treasure Me, the much anticipated conclusion to her Legend Hunters trilogy hit stores. You can find Robyn on-line at www.RobynDeHart.com or www.JauntyQuills.com.

Shana Galen is the author of numerous fast-paced adventurous Regency historical romances, including the Rita-nominated Blackthorne’s Bride. Her books have been sold worldwide, including Japan, Brazil, Russia, Spain, Turkey, and the Netherlands, and have been featured in the Rhapsody and Doubleday Book Clubs. A former English teacher in Houston’s inner city, Shana now writes full time. She’s a wife, a mother, and an expert multi-tasker. She loves to hear from readers: visit her website at www.shanagalen.com or see what she’s up to daily on Facebook and twitter.

Terri Brisbin has been writing romance fiction since 1995 and has more than 25 historical and paranormal romance novels, novellas and short stories published since then. When not living the glamorous life of a romance author in the southern NJ suburbs (or lusting after Gerard Butler), Terri spends her time being a wife to one, mom to three as well as a dental hygienist to hundreds.

A National Readers’ Choice Award finalist, three-time RWA RITA® finalist, and winner of the NJRW Golden Leaf and Desert Rose Golden Quill, Terri is now working on more romance novels and novellas for release through 2012. You can visit her website for more info about the author and her work or to contact her click on her website link above.