Susan Berry

An avid reader, Susan Berry, is an aficionado of historical fiction, trains, the South, and the United Kingdom. Ripped from the headlines of newspapers from bygone eras aptly describes the source of her characters and plots. Susan’s job as an attorney has contributed by giving her an eye for detail, a love of forensics, and the burning desire to follow the research trail down the rabbit hole wherever it leads. Her writing career began as a youngster who composed newspaper copy of neighborhood yard and estate sales while riding as a passenger in her parents’ car. Susan has been published in the Florida Writers Association’s Florida Writer magazine. She is a member of and chairperson for the Florida Writer Association as well as a member of the Georgia Writers Association and the Mystery Writers of America. When not writing, she enjoys target shooting, reading (her challenge for 2013 is to read 100 books), watching British programming, and enjoying her life with her loving and supportive husband, Tommy, three dogs, a multitude of cats, and in the winter, the wood stove.

Debbie Holt

Born and raised in the Lone Star state of Texas, Debbie grew up among horses, cowboys, wide open spaces, and real Texas Rangers. Pride in her state and ancestry knows no bounds and it is these heroes and heroines she loves to write about the most. She also draws upon a variety of life experiences including working with abused children, caring for baby animals at a major zoo, and owning a wedding planning business (ah, romance!). Debbie’s real pride and joys, however, are her son, an aspiring film actor, and a daughter with aspirations to join the Federal Bureau of Investigation. (more story ideas!) When she isn’t busy writing about tall Texans and feisty heroines, she can be found working for her other love, the Goin’Band from Raiderland, or heading off on another cruise adventure. She read her first romance...Janet Dailey's Fiesta San Antonio, over thirty years ago and became hooked on the genre. Writing romances is both her passion and dream come true, and she hopes her books will bring smiles...and sighs... to all who believe in happily-ever-afters!

Lynn Gutierrez

I worked for many years as a bartender before I went to college. It was a great job, I had a lot of fun, and I met some truly interesting people. After countless nights spent with a variety of humanity, I consider myself something of an expert on human interaction. My background has a huge influence on my characters and hero/heroine relationships. I live on the west coast of Florida with my husband and the box turtle my son left behind when he went off to college. I have a bachelor’s degree in finance and work in the accounting department for a technology company. My writing career began at the age of six when I wrote a story about a tiger. These days I write historical and contemporary romances with enough humor to keep them light and fun. I’m a Pro member of RWA and belong to two local chapters: Southwest Florida Romance Writers, where I serve as Contest Coordinator and TARA—Tampa Area Romance Authors, where I’m a Category Coordinator.

Anna Hamilton

Over the last 14 years, Anna Hamilton has been busy raising her three sons alongside her very patient and understanding husband. When her youngest started school, she realized her love for writing. And there her dream began. Shortly after her mother’s passing, she moved with her family to El Dorado Hills in Northern California and everything came together. Within six months she completed her first novel, a romantic suspense titled, Killing Perfection. The creative process of writing brings her comfort and peace. The technical process has matured the professional side of her. It has taught her that perseverance, commitment, diligence, and believing in a dream are key characteristics in any undertaking in order to succeed. She is excited about what the future holds. Currently, Anna Hamilton is working on three romantic suspense and two historical romance novels. Sitting close by, in a tiny frame, is a fortune from a cookie that reads “You will become an accomplished writer.”

Helen Rose Jones

In love with the written word since she got her first library card at the age of five, Helen Rose Jones is a firm believer in the power of storytelling. A former journalist, she knew she wanted to be a writer since she was nine years old. That’s when she penned her first “novel’, a mystery, that came in at a hefty three pages. After that first brush with publishing, she went on to finish school, and began a career in journalism, working as a reporter for a major daily newspaper in her hometown. After twenty-two years at the paper, covering everything from lost puppies to politicians, she decided to leave the world of journalism to write full time. A firm believer in happily-ever-after, Helen writes contemporary romance, including heart pounding romantic suspense and inspirational stories of love, healing and faith. She is happily ensconced in a century old house in a tiny village in Western New York where she spends her days writing, most recently sweet romances set in small town America. She has been happily married to her own personal hero, and is the mother of three grown children, Scott, Kerry and Maura.

Tonya Kuper

Tonya has loved reading since she earned her first Book-It personal pan pizza certificate in grade school. Her love of reading continued and she eventually went on to earn a B.A. in Elementary Education and a M.S. in Reading Education K-12. It was during her Masters program when her love affair with middle school and young adult literature began. Tonya is a stay-at-home-mom of two boys, one of whom now earns his own Book-It pizza certificates. She writes contemporary and urban fantasy young adult fiction and is a member of SCBWI and YALitChat.org. She contributes to the YA Stands and All The Write Notes blogs. She interns for Marisa Cleveland and works as the Seymour Agency Promotions Manager. You can find her at on her personal blog: www.tonyakuper.blogspot.com; Twitter: https://twitter.com/tonyakuper; Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tonya.kuper.

Tamara LeBlanc

Tamara LeBlanc is a member of Georgia Romance Writers, RWA, and a critique group consisting of three very talented women! She is mother to two fabulous teenagers and loving wife to a man so good to her, her Italian grandmother demands she wash his feet and drink the water to show her gratitude. Though she has yet to lather his toes, and knock back a shot of the bubbling brew, Tamara is sure her inspiration for crafting the perfect romance hero comes from her husband. She can’t imagine a better job than writing, and hopes she will be fortunate enough to spend the rest of her life doing just that.

Tamara Mataya

Tamara Mataya grew up on a horse farm. Playing in the hills gave her enough room for her imagination to roam wild. She is currently a librarian; she lurked there for so long recommending books to patrons and shushing people, that she suspects they only hired her so it would be less creepy. Now she’s armed with a name tag, and a thin veneer of credibility. She’s also a musician with synaesthesia – which isn't an issue until someone plays a wrong note, which makes her want to squirm inside out. It makes for a good live show. Look for her on twitter @TamaraMataya. Follow her blog at http://feakysnucker.blogspot.ca/

Colleen McCarty-Gould

Dewdrop Detectives author Colleen McCarty-Gould loves nothing more than seeing a young person’s face light up while exploring new worlds through a book. “It’s the greatest feeling,” she says, “when young readers walk away with new skills and knowledge, a fresh sense of adventure, and a positive feeling about themselves.” Colleen draws heavily upon her experiences as a former second-grade teacher, school communications specialist, editor, photographer, and marketing professional. She also shares a big secret with the Dewdrop Detectives ¬– her own love of adventure and yearning for faraway places and times. Among her most pleasant childhood memories is browsing through an attic with a friend and discovering countless treasures! Colleen holds bachelor’s degrees in journalism and in German and a master’s degree in community education. She currently lives in Ocala, Florida, with her husband, Dale, and the couple’s two pet-kids, Mandy and Reggie.

Chersti Nieveen

Chersti Nieveen [share - stee / neh - vene] is the co-creator of Writer Therapy, an online web-series about writers, the first season of which will debut this summer. She has a passion for strawberries, chocolate, and all things Doctor Who. Having written stories ever since she could string words together, she eventually realized that some people got paid for that particular skill. Chersti graduated from Brigham Young University, and lives in Utah with her husband, two dogs, and a cat (who just thinks he's a dog). Visit her at her website http://cherstinieveen.wordpress.com, or find her on facebook (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=17832424) or twitter (https://twitter.com/#!/chersti) You can also find out more about Writer Therapy on the website: http://www.writertherapy.com/

Salvador SeBasco

Salvador SeBasco is a recognized book critic with more than eight years experience in published written reviews of books, and radio broadcasting. He is a Literary Director and the Host of the Inside View Show (a literary review broadcast on which he interviews authors) on a CNN affiliate station. He is an active member of the National Book Critics Circle, contributor of book reviews published in books, online and on publishes web site. He is a past Bible Study Leader and led successfully in a ministry in two states using the same techniques. He has worked in radio and helped countless publishers, publicists, executives, and published authors, and aspiring authors, put writing into action. Salvador’s expertise has been featured in media venues throughout the United States. He lives in San Diego, California, and Austin, Texas. Salvador SeBasco’s favorite Bible verse is John 21:25 and, being on the publishing industry, you know why when you read it. Web site at Publishers Marketplace: http://www.publishersmarketplace.com/members/sebasco/ * LINKEDIN: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/salvador-sebasco/a/9b/278 Follow on TWITTER: http://twitter.com/SalvadorSeBasco

Melissa Ringsaff

Melissa Ringstaff is a pastor's wife serving with her husband in the beautiful Appalachian Mountains of Southeastern Kentucky. They have nine children between them - which is a whole story in and of itself - four of whom are still living at home where they enjoy homeschooling. Melissa loves her dogs, chickens, horses and all the other critters who pass through her home. She is a country girl at heart. Blue jeans, flannel shirts, and mason jars are a few of her favorite things and she believes a dog and a horse are a girl's best friends - not diamonds! Melissa is the Founding Editor and Publisher of a popular Christian women's website, A Virtuous Woman - http://www.avirtuouswoman.org.

Peggy Rychwa

Peggy’s interest in writing started off more like You’ve got to be kidding me. A composition every week? Well, if I have to do all that writing, and you have to do all that reading, then I may as well make this as pleasant as I can for the both of us. Somehow that mindset she adopted to survive a semester of English 101 evolved into a genuine enjoyment of writing. Her interest in writing zeroed in on inspirational romance, and so she supplemented the writing and creative writing courses she’d taken during college with the Apprentice and Journeyman courses offered through the Christian Writers Guild. She joined the American Christian Fiction Writers, attended several writers conferences, and has been a finalist in Operation First Novel and other romance writers’ contests. She’s currently working on a historical western romance series. Peggy attended college in Massachusetts , where they forced her to take that confounded English 101 class. She graduated with highest honors, was a member of Phi Theta Kappa, and was elected to Who’s Who Among Students. She’s a veteran of the U.S. Army and served as a social worker in Nurnberg , Germany . She now resides with her husband in New Hampshire. You may visit Peggy at her website http://peggyrychwa.weebly.com/ or on Facebook.

Melody Steiner

Melody Steiner works at an academic library as a circulation technician. In 2006, she graduated from Mount Vernon Nazarene University with a Bachelors of Arts in English. After she met and married her husband in the beautiful state of Ohio, they relocated to Seattle, WA. In March, 2011, Melody graduated from the University of Washington with her Master in Library and Information Science. Her hobbies include reading the latest YA series, camping, and enjoying long walks with her best friend. They’re expecting a new addition to the Steiner household in November. In addition to Gendarme Passing, she writes fantasy and YA novels. You can find Melody at http://twitter.com/melody_steiner.

Beth Vrabel

Beth Vrabel is an award-winning journalist, writer and mom. Well, perhaps there aren’t any awards for the mom part, but her children seem to like her. After graduating with honors from Pennsylvania State University with a degree in journalism, she moved through the ranks of a local newspaper to become editor of two award-winning regional magazines. After her second child was born, she began working from home as a freelance writer and columnist. Many of her assignments involved profiling local authors, spurring her to devote more time to her own creative writing. As someone who still can’t read “The Bridge to Terabithia” without sobbing, anything by Judy Blume without hiccups, or the Harry Potter books without wishing for an owl, she quickly found her voice in middle-grade fiction. Beth lives in Connecticut with her husband, two children and a spoiled rotten puppy. She is an active member of her community and a stalker of the young reader section of her local library. Connect with Beth online at www.bethvrabel.com or @beth_vrabel.

J.S. Walker

Jasmine Walker, who writes as J.S. Walker, was born in Chicago, IL. From as far back as elementary school she’s loved to write stories. Her favorite part of English class was the chance to write narratives. It wasn’t until high school when she wrote and finished her first full manuscript, and hasn’t stopped writing since. She attends Columbia College Chicago in the Undergraduate Program and majors in Fiction Writing. Her favorite books are anything with a great plot and steamy romance, but she particularly likes Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance, and those are the genres she typically writes in. Her favorite things are reading, writing, and spending time with her daughter.

April Wall

April Wall always had a way with a story, jokes being a big part of them. That was apparent her first day of kindergarten when she left her mom at the door, marched up to the kids sitting in their plastic red and blue chairs, and did five minutes of stand-up. Ever since then, words have been vitally important to her. It wasn’t until a creative writing class in college that she considered writing as an outlet to express herself. When her husband got accepted into law school, she had a lot of free time on her hands. During that time, she decided to take her family of four and turn them into fictional characters so she could live out any ridiculous scenario she set up for them. That idea turned into her first novel, IN THE MIDST OF MONSTERS. As someone who’s always been interested in things spooky and otherworldy, she channels that energy into her MG books. She currently lives with her husband and two children in Colorado, along with their dog, Marshmallow, and cat, Smores. She writes under the pen name A. E. Welch. Follow her blog at aewelch.com or find her on Twitter at https://twitter.com/aprilmwall