Meet the 2015 Golden Heart Historical Romance Finalists

Cowboys. Rogues. World War II spies. This flight of Dragonflies has gone through time to find the best heroes and heroines to delight readers.  It is my pleasure to introduce the 2015 Golden Heart finalists in the Historical Romance category:

	"A Convenient Engagement" by Kimberly Bell A young lady makes an outrageous deal with a very handsome devil in this sexy debut romance set in Georgian Era London and Scotland. An independent young woman of means, Miss Hannah Howard is as stubborn as she is beautiful. After she moves to London for her first season among the ton, she immediately finds herself in a heated dispute with her neighbor, the ill-mannered Gavan Dalreoch, Earl of Rhone. Giving the Earl a black eye is a lapse in judgment—even though the Scottish scoundrel deserved it. Now with her reputation in jeopardy, her only hope for saving face is the man whose face she bruised. Gavan is content to live up to his rakish reputation, but with family pressuring him to marry, he and Hannah agree to get engaged just long enough to appear respectable. Yet as the charade continues with stolen kisses and a trip to Gavan’s Scottish castle, Gavan and Hannah discover that their false engagement may be more real than they imagined. Kimberly Bell is a 2015 RWA Golden Heart Finalist and 2014 Maggie Award Winner. She writes historical romances from her home near the beach in San Luis Obispo, California. She lives with her shepherd-coyote mix rescue.
	"A Dangerous Chemistry" by Marnee Blake Marnee Blake is a 2014 & 2015 Golden Heart® Finalist. She writes action-packed young adult and new adult romance. She used to teach high school students but these days she only has to wrangle her own children. Originally from a small town in Western Pennsylvania, she now battles traffic in southern New Jersey where she lives with her hero husband and their happily-ever-after: two very energetic boys. When she isn’t writing, she can be found refereeing disputes between her children, cooking up something sweet, or hiding from encroaching dust bunnies with a book. Marnee’s writing is represented by Helen Breitwieser at Cornerstone Literary Agency.
	"Dragon’s Lair" by Lori Sanders Foley Set in 1170, Morgan verch Rhodri, a marauder's daughter, finds a half-dead, half-naked warrior wrapped up in the most recent plunder; she doesn't know whether to ransom or run from the wounded warrior, she finds amid the most recent coastal plunder.   The English cape he's wrapped in is a sign of the danger she faces should anyone discovers either of them.  Her grandfather is a Welsh king, which makes Morgan a valuable pawn in the game of kingdoms. Rann of Galbraith, a mercenary agent, awakens to find he has survived an English massacre, only to be held captive of a woman who orders men around as if she were the lord of the keep. He wants revenge for the attack on his kinsmen.  However, when a mysterious organization,known as the Dragon, draws upon both their pasts, they are cast into a deadly game with high stakes, Morgan could lose her home.  Rann could lose his freedom. They might even lose their hearts...if they don't lose their lives, first. For Lori Sanders Foley, there is always a story in every adventure. If not writing, she brings stories to life on stage. When not creating magic on stage or page, she travels, looking for her next tale to tell.
	"Never Dare a Wicked Earl" by Renee Ann Miller Never Dare a Wicked Earl, is about Lord Hayden Westfield and Sophia Camden, a nurse who is sent to his residence to tend to him after an ex-lover shoots him. After Westfield fires Sophia, she dares him to give her a week to prove her mettle. Sophia quickly realizes the Wicked Earl is willing to resort to nearly anything to win the dare. Hayden soon realized Sophia is a worthy opponent. Intrigued, he’s determined to win the forfeit … a night in Sophia’s bed. But will one night be enough? Renee writes sensual historical romance. She joined RWA over three years ago. At that time, she had no idea about POV or GMC, but she shared that this wonderful community of writers took her under their wings and got out their red pens. Renee is represented by Jill Marsal of The Marsal Lyon Literary Agency. You can find out more about her at Reneeannmiller.com. https://www.facebook.com/reneeann.miller.9 Twitter.com/Reneeannmiller
	"A Proper Scandal" by Laurie Benson     As the daughter of an American diplomat in early 19th century England, Katrina Vandenberg is stuck adhering to the strict rules of English Polite Society. She’s eager to return to America, until she has an unexpected encounter with a mysterious nobleman. There is no denying their attraction, but Katrina is well aware that English aristocrats do not marry American women. She soon discovers resisting a man she is inexplicably drawn to is not easy.         Julian Carlisle, the jaded Duke of Lyonsdale, should be finding a bride. Instead he finds himself captivated by a woman Society says is all wrong for him—a woman he cannot resist pursuing, even if she wants nothing to do with him. Now the most disciplined Duke finds himself schooled in proper behavior by an alluring American and wondering if she’s willing to join him in going against centuries of tradition. But for true love to survive they first have to endure mistaken identities, an interfering countess, a matchmaking dowager, meddling friends, an arrogant mother, and an unhinged former paramour. Wish them luck. Word Count: 81,000 Laurie Benson is a 2015 Golden Heart® finalist and award-winning writer of historical romance novels. She began her writing career as an advertising copywriter, where she learned more than you would ever want to know about hot dogs and credit score reports. Aside from writing novels, she also writes about snippets of historical information from the Georgian era on her blog, LaurieBenson’s Cozy Drawing Room. She lives with her husband and two sons in a house filled with testosterone—even her bunny is a boy. She is currently seeking representation. Where You Can Find Laurie: Blog: lauriebenson.net Twitter: @LaurieBwrites Facebook: Laurie Benson
	"A Question of Loyalty" by Ellen Lindseth An ambitious O.S.S. agent questions his definition of loyalty after rescuing a mysterious woman who steals his heart in WWII Washington D.C. After years spent researching Classical Greek and Roman socities, Ellen moved on to the modern era and wrote romantic suspense set during World War II.  When not writing, she is either flying around the country with her husband in his Beech Bonanza, or relaxing at home with her three rescued cats and a bearded dragon.  Ellen is represented by Laura Bradford of the Bradford Agency.
	"Rescuing Mr. Gracey" by Eileen K Barnes Mary Smyth, the daughter of a Catholic rebel, tumbles into Alec Gracey’s life from atop a ridge—underfed, tattered, shoeless—and captures the imagination of his cynical Protestant heart.  Wrong culture, wrong economic class, wrong religion, Mary is dangerous and forbidden to him. She lives in an overcrowded hut; he resides in the manor down the hill. She works as a laundress; he is seeking office in England’s Anglican parliament, the protégé of the powerful Earl of Roden while her father leads the Ribbonmen, a Catholic organization that causes havoc for the Earl.  Each time those wide, aqua eyes glance at him or her dimples pop with a grin, his poor heart trips as badly as his attempt at to dance. Disguising his name, he will slip into her world, wrapping himself within the web of lies, risking his wealth, career, perhaps even his life. He calls himself Alec Jordan, but Mary knows he is not who he pretends. He is ignorant of her culture and shockingly clumsy at the simplest native dance. Besides, she is a skinny laundress. Why would a perfect, strikingly handsome man show interest in her? Perhaps he is a spy wiggling his way into her life, seeking evidence against her politically active Da.  Yet, he continues to edge his way into his life—escorting her during evening laundry deliveries, sheltering her in the rain, plowing her father’s worthless field, rescuing her from attackers—and when his mesmerizing gaze floats over her face or his teasing grin makes her laugh her resolve disintegrates.  Someone waits and watches for the moment to destroy them both, hurtling them into a deadly collision with history.  Can Mary and Alec’s love rise above the ashes that will be left behind? Eileen K Barnes is a romantic. The sixth child of a large Irish Catholic family, she married her own hero and raised four children. Of course, in between reading and a little writing, life also happened.  She worked for the town government and became a mayor, she wrote for a local newspaper and won an award for best news story, she published several short stories on motherhood and then went back to college and got a degree in Early Childhood and soon started her own preschool.  But, her romantic soul still hungered to write.  Then inspiration knocked on her door. She ran into a cousin who had been researching their family heritage.  The cousin had unearthed a story that their great, great Irish immigrant grandparents who had to flee Ireland because he was a Protestant Irishman and she was an Irish Catholic girl.  In 19th Century Ireland, mix-faith marriages were illegal and so he left his wealth and family and took his sweetheart to Canada where they raised ten children.  Soon, the tiny framework of a story became a 100,000 novel.  Five years and many contests later, Eileen’s story has earned her a trip to New York. Eileen is seek representation .  You may find her at rescuingmrgracey.com | facebook.com/rescuingmrgracey | twitter.com/eileenbauthor
	"The Reunion" by Sara Leyton Sara is a working mom with a big blended family. Her vices are wine, cupcakes and mindless TV.  She has too many favorite romances to pick just one, but in category romance, she is currently working my way through Mary Balogh's Survivors Club.  She is currently querying.
	"Sawyer's Rose" by Kim Turner As if he doesn't have enough to handle between running outlaws out of Cheyenne, keeping his brother's out of trouble and avenging his father's death, sheriff Sawyer McCade's meddling mother just dumped a mysterious mail-order-bride on his doorstep. One woman can be more trouble than a band of renegades and while this one has him all stirred up, he'd rather get to the bottom of the story she isn't telling. Rose Parker had it all. Until she discovers a web of danger and deceit that sends her running to Cheyenne, posing as a mail-order-bride. Escaping the evils of New York seems sensible until she meets the unsuspecting sheriff who didn't ask for her, has no intention of marrying her and won't rest until he uncovers her secret and sends her back home. Kim Turner writes western historical romance, and discovered her passion of writing at the age of eight by writing poems, short stories and journals. Kim graduated from Clayton State University with a Bachelor's of Science in Nursing and holds a Master's Degree in Adult Education from Central Michigan University. Working as a registered nurse educator for over twenty-six years, she enjoys studying the medical treatments of the old west as well as keeping up with the latest western movies and television series. While she loves reading anything from highlanders to pirates, she claims to have an unquenchable thirst for the American Cowboy when choosing her reads. Kim lives south of Atlanta with her husband and calls her greatest accomplishment the birth of one daughter and the adoption of another from China-neither of which came easy. Kim is a member of Romance Writers of American and Georgia Romance Writers and calls her critique group from Southside Scribes the best thing that ever happened to her writing, that and a pretty wonderful group of beta readers. Kim's Motto: It's All About A Cowboy and the Woman He Loves. Her story Sawyer's Rose was a Maggie finalist in 2014, and will be coming soon to publication from Wild Rose Press.

Meet the 2015 Golden Heart Short Contemporary Romance Finalists

Fall in love with this  flight of Dragonflies.  It is my pleasure to introduce you to the 2015 Golden Heart Short Contemporary finalists:

“At Her Service” by Mia Sosa

Ethan Hill's penchant for fast driving lands him in a Washington, D.C. courtroom, where a judge orders him to perform community service. His objectives are simple: get in, get out, and move on—without revealing his true identity. But Ethan isn't prepared for Graciela Ramirez, the captivating beauty who runs the community center where he's obligated to serve.

Gracie is tempted by the secretive man who's making a positive impact on her clients, but she has to focus on getting funding for her non-profit or its doors will close. What will she do when she discovers the man causing her sleepless nights is the CEO of the company that could save her charity? 

Mia J. Sosa was born and raised in New York. She attended the University of Pennsylvania, where she earned her bachelor's degree in Communications and met her own romantic hero, her husband.

Mia once dreamed of being a professional singer, but when she discovered she would have to perform on stage to realize that dream, she decided to take the LSAT instead.

Mia practiced First Amendment and media law in the nation's capital for ten years before returning to her creative roots. Now, she spends most of her days wearing PJs lounging wear and writing contemporary romances about smart women and the complicated men who love them. She and her family live in Maryland.

You can find Mia at http://www.miasosa.com and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/miasosaromance.

“A Night at the Rosemont” by Mary Oldham

Mary has been writing for eight years.  She started with journaling, and ended up writing a story about a woman who gets away with killing her ex-husband.  Her stories are sure to captivate you.  Her favorite authors are Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Lisa Gardner and LaVyrie Spencer.

“Waiting for Meggie” Debra Moser

Debra is married to the perfect hero.  She writes not only contemporary romance, but has also cozy mysteries and YA.  Her favorite romance is the Amelia Peabody series by Elizabeth Peters.  This is her second Golden Heart nomination.

“Welcome Home, Katie Gallagher” by Seana Kelly

KATE Gallagher is coming back to the only home she’s ever really known. She’s escaping from a husband who worked tirelessly to improve her, to make her the asset he deserved. Ten years of wearing away her will, washing out her color, and he still doesn't have the perfect trophy. When Kate learns that her husband never stopped dating, she calls a lawyer, herds her Newfoundland dog into an economy-sized rental, and heads across country to her late grandmother’s home in Bar Harbor, Maine. Kate wants to start over, to build a new life, but first she’ll have to contend with the police chief who never forgot her.

AIDEN Cavanaugh has been in love with Katie since that first summer she'd visited her grandmother. She'd been six years old and he thought she'd shone like she’d swallowed the sun. Every summer she’d return and with her the awkward, sweaty, heart-racing obsession of first love. But then one summer Katie didn’t come back and all the light and color ran out of his world.  Now Katie is back, complicating his empty but controlled life. He’s an adult now, a widower, and the chief of police. She shouldn’t still have this effect on him. Fortunately for Aiden, his protests are ignored by his matchmaking grandfather, who would love nothing better than bouncing red-headed great grandbabies on his knee. 

Seana Kelly writes contemporary romance and urban fantasy. By day, she’s a high school English teacher/librarian. Before dawn and on weekends, when she can shirk her parental and wifely responsibilities, She’s writing. Being dyslexic, reading and writing have never come easily to Seana but her love of both has made the struggle worth it. She is am un-agented and currently seeking representation.

You can find her at www.seanakelly.com, @SeanaKellyRW, and on Facebook

“Winning Her Over” by Alexa Rowan

All massage therapist Brenna Johansen wants is to succeed on her own terms. Instead, she's struggling to keep her business afloat for another month and her dream alive. It’s a lonely, stressful existence, and she has no time for dating. Besides, the only men she meets are her clients, who are off limits. And most of them aren’t even cute. But her newest client, a hotshot attorney visiting Boston for a two-week trial, has her wondering if it's time to break some of her rules.

Cal Wilcox, Jr. has always wanted to follow in the footsteps of his father, a successful attorney. And after more late nights and cancelled vacations than he can count, he's finally on the verge of making partner at a prestigious law firm in Washington, D.C. He knows a long-distance relationship with a sweet, sexy masseuse could derail his career, but he can’t just walk away, either. So they burn up the sheets on his last night in town, and now he's hooked.

He persuades her they both need the same thing—casual sex, no strings attached. But Brenna soon longs for more than Cal is willing to give her. When he realizes too late she means more to him than the partnership, can he win her over again—this time, for good?

An attorney by day, Alexa Rowan squeezes in as much writing time as she can for her steamy, intelligent contemporary and paranormal romances. WINNING HER OVER, a 2015 Golden Heart® finalist, is the first book in Alexa's sizzling hot series portraying smart, ambitious heroes and heroines struggling with realistic conflicts as they seek love, success, and that elusive work-life balance.

Alexa lives in a leafy New England suburb with her husband, two energetic children, five backyard chickens, a dumb but adorable cairn terrier, and a female leopard gecko named Fred. An avid romance reader, Alexa also enjoys hiking, table-top gaming, and planning hypothetical future home renovation projects her husband will probably balk at.

You can connect with Alexa via her website (http://alexarowan.com), and on Twitter (@alexa_rowan), Facebook, and Pinterest.

Meet the 2015 Golden Heart Erotic Romance Finalists: Daring Dragonflies

These daring Dragonflies aren’t afraid of heat. They embrace it. It is my pleasure to introduce the 2015 Golden Heart® finalists in Erotic Romance:

“A Deal for Love” by Michele Arris

Michele loves dark chocolate , dessert wines. Doctor Who, Downton Abbey, Scandal, Walking Dead, and Vikings.  She enjoys reading Lisa Kleypas, Julia Quinn, Judith Mcnaught, Johanna Lindsey, and Sherrilyn Kenyon. 

She is seeking representation.

“Indulge My Fantasy” by Caroline Bradley

When auto mechanic Grace Bennett finds the hottest actor in Hollywood stranded on a mountain road in a snowstorm, she’s not sure what to believe. In a snowed-in cabin, she gives in to her wildest fantasies, but she's well aware that all dreams have to end. But after one night together, Aaron Elias can’t get Grace out of his head. He brings her to Hollywood to experience his world of sports cars, Malibu beach houses, and movie magic. The Cinderella treatment is more than Grace ever imagined. Then she finds out why Aaron was really up in the mountains that day, and Aaron’s dream world brings back Grace’s nightmares. Grace and Aaron can't live in each other's worlds. Is this love or are they both just indulging their fantasies? 

Caroline Bradley is a single mom to two teenage boys. She wrote contemporaries for most of her life but now that she's tested the erotic romance waters, she's found there's a lot of fun to be had in giving up control. She's currently working on her second erotic romance project, with a third percolating in a Notes file, just itching to come out and play. The tagline to her website says it all: If you can't laugh in bed, you're doing it all wrong. 

Website: www . carolinebradley . net

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CarolineBradleyAuth

Twitter: @CaroBradAuth

Caroline is currently unagented and working toward self publication, unless someone has better ideas. 

“Sorting Out the Kinks” by Elle Mason

Maddie Harper is NOT a submissive. Or at least that’s the lie she’s been telling herself since her twenties, back when a police raid at a play party highlighted the risks of indulging in her dark and exhibitionist fantasies. But vanilla is proving to be an unsatisfying flavor.

After a chance reunion with Andrew, a Dominant from her old BDSM scene, Maddie is shaken by something she hasn’t felt for over a decade—desire. He’s still the gentleman and bad boy she remembers, a man whose love of bondage once called to her like no other. She wonders if their meeting is a coincidence or wake-up call. Eager to experience the uninhibited relationship she’s always craved, she’s smitten when Andrew asks her out despite his insistence on dating without power roles. He requires they build trust to ensure she’s ready. After romantic—but chaste—dates, she hungers for more than kissing. She wants to kneel and serve. He unleashes his dominant side and ensnares more than her body with rope; he captures her heart.

But when their playtime at a fetish event threatens her privacy, resurrecting old fears, it’ll take more than what she feels for Andrew to keep from running again. She’ll have to make peace with the one person out to sabotage their relationship—herself.

Elle is a wife, mom of a preschooler and terrier, social worker, the person people seek for advice when visiting The Mouse, wannabe photographer, and a jokester. She’s lived in the West, Northeast, and has called South Florida home for the past ten years. In her relatively short history as a writer, she’s learned she has a thing for gerunds, British spelling of words (though American), and that she loves to write steamy sex scenes. 

Meet the 2015 Golden Heart Paranormal Romance Finalists: Dragonflies that Go Bump in the Night

Shifters. Witches. Fallen angels. Demon hunters. Vampires. We love them all.

Not matter which thing that goes bump in the night is the subject of a paranormal romance, it is sure to not only get your heart racing, but also your blood boiling.  It is my pleasure to introduce the RWA® 2015 Golden Heart® finalists in paranormal romance:


"The Magical Librarian of Tulsa, Oklahoma" by Nancy Coiner

In a world where experts in magical security work out of strip-malls and vampires get woken up by unwise tourists on Twilight tours through Romania, Tulsa’s prestigious College of Magic has a problem. Five talented students from Kate Lafon’s senior seminar have hacked through the spells that lock the Rare Book Room and released several magical animals from a famous medieval bestiary. At the end of a chaotic night, one of those creatures is missing. And Kate, as the Senior Curator, is going to be held responsible. 

So begins Kate’s search for the Great Serpent of Greece. She’s helped by Merle Horvath, an academic hotshot with a specialty in magical creatures, who has a lurking smile and a late-night-radio voice that make Kate’s toes curl. All seems headed for a quick happy ending until a student goes missing and Kate discovers the hard way that contact with the Serpent causes people to change sex. So, sporting a stronger jaw-line, shorter hair, and rearranged private parts, Kate sets off with Merle and a group of academic misfits on a road-trip across the country, aiming to recapture the Serpent from a disgruntled magician fired by the College and a black-market collector of magical creatures. The search takes them all the way to Las Vegas and the newest casino in town, Prospero’s Island. There the Serpent is only one of many unusual exhibits and acts. . . .

Nancy grew up where she’s set the opening of her book—in Tulsa—and growing up there meant growing up safe and loved but also restless. So as soon as she could, she set out on academic adventures. After she earned a BA on the east coast, a master’s in England, and a doctorate from Stanford, she taught at the college level for many years. Now she teaches literature to troubled, smart, creative, wonderful kids at a high school in Massachusetts. Nancy lives with her husband among the trees. And on the weekends, she writes.

She is seeking representation.


"Demons Don’t" by Jeanne Oates Estridge

After the demon Belial enrages Satan by beating him in a poker game, Belial must think quickly to avoid spending the next century up to his eyes in maggots. He convinces God and Satan to revisit their ancient wager over free will and to let him represent Evil. If Belial wins, he’ll be promoted to Chief Operating Demon. If he loses, the maggot pit will be the least of his worries. He has just seven weeks to seduce and corrupt his target.

God chooses Dara Strong, a nurse, as his champion. Dara has demon-fighting in her genes, so when Belial walks into her free clinic, disguised as a doctor offering to volunteer, Dara feeds his application into a shredder and orders him out. Thus begins a battle between two cosmically well-matched opponents. As conflict breeds passion and passion transforms into love, the couple face two seemingly insurmountable obstacles: how can they prevail over the Lord of the Underworld, who is determined to win at any cost? And how do they ransom the soul of a fallen angel from an unforgiving God?

Jeanne is currently seeking representation.

Websites: The Raisin Chronicles - http://raisinchronicles.blogspot.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JeanneEstridgeFanPage?ref=aymt_homepage_panel


"Howlin Hearts" by Kristal Hollis

Raised by an alcoholic mother, Cassie Albright craves stability. When Brice Walker, the sexy grandson of the elderly woman with whom Cassie now lives reveals to her that  he is a werewolf and she is his one, true mate, Cassie’s world careens out of control and she fights the fiery passion that flames between them. But, Brice’s patience and constant presence calms her insecurities. Until, she witnesses the savagery of wolfan justice. Horrified, Cassie must learn to accept man and beast, or reject the bond that brought them together and forever destroy the only true love they will ever know.

Kristal is curious by nature and firmly believe that life happens off the beaten path. When not exploring the world around her, she is furiously penning romantic tales about feisty, independent heroines, and sexy, stubborn Alpha heroes. Whether it’s a fantasy, futuristic, or paranormal world, these couples will learn they must let go their past and use both hands to grab onto their futures if they want to claim their happily-ever-after. Because although Fate provides opportunity, choices determine destinies.

Kristal is seeking representation.

Website:  www.kristalhollis.com
Twitter: @KristalHollis
Facebook: www.facebook.com/authorkristalhollis


"Better Dead" by Pamela Kopfler


Holly Davis believes her cheatin’ husband deserves to choke on his divorce papers and spend eternity roasting in hell after nearly bankrupting her Louisiana bed and breakfast. At least, she’s half-right when he turns up dead, but she’s dead wrong when she accidentally calls him back from the grave. Unless she wants to be stuck with her ghostly ex forever, she has until Halloween to wedge him through the pearly gates by cleaning up the mess he left behind—a smuggling ring he started behind her back at her B&B. Thirty days isn’t much time and only one man can help. But it’s gonna cost her. Jake McCann is back in town after he left with a hunk of her heart years ago. After her disastrous marriage, another blow could be fatal, but she'll worry about her heart later. First, she has to stay out of jail, while she gets her ex into paradise.

Pamela Kopfler was born a Texan and tumbled through twelve schools all over the USA before she finished high school, but she's a Southerner - through and through. Now, she calls South Louisiana her home and writing her passion. Her evolution to the writing life took the scenic route, just like her early romp through the country. She's a certified teacher but traded in that profession for writing, hosting, and reporting for local TV and telling stories on local Public Radio. Then the unthinkable happened. Her prince finally arrived but with a catch. Love always has a catch. She had to relocate and leave her career behind. The writing and the romance survived the move. Now, she's determined to conquer the novel. In addition to her Golden Heart finals, she's won or placed in thirty-two contests, including the overall Daphne du Maurier, Sandy Star, Emily, and Dixie Kane. Pamela is the program director of her local RWA chapter (SOLA) and loves to meet and help other writers.

Pamela is a finalist in the paranormal category of the 2015 Romance Writers of America Golden Heart® contest. She is seeking representation and can be reached through her website, pamelakopfler.com, or Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/pamela.kopfler.


"Magic City" by Heather Leonard

Most people believe Birmingham, Alabama is called the Magic City because it sprang up overnight, like magic. A select few know the city’s secret. It sprang up overnight because of magic. In Magic City, closeted witch (although she prefers to be called an "elemental engineer" or "skilled in chance reduction technology" due to the historical baggage associated with the "w" word) Hazel Matthews confronts how her secret is intertwined with the Magic City’s in order to find the inconsiderate so-and-so who not only killed her former fiancé (who truth be told, probably needed killing), but also infected her with a fatal effluvium curse. Hazel must face creatures the Grimm brothers couldn’t explain, the persistent carnal interest of her former fiancé’s brother, an insatiable Leanan Sidhe and the overprotective tendencies of a perpetually drunk Brownie to find a way around the curse or die within four days.  

Throughout its history, Birmingham has always been a city of dueling worlds. Race. Class. Old South. New South. Industry. Gentility. Magic City uses the lessons from Birmingham’s tumultuous past as a backdrop to contrast the worlds of the Natura (humans) and Diaspora (remnants of the supernatural beings who have turned Birmingham into magical Casablanca).
Magic City puts a Southern twist on the themes of La Belle Dame Sans Merci by John Keats. 

Heather Leonard, a labor and employment lawyer/mediator by day, writes paranormal romance and romantic suspense in her ever so sparse free time. If she were a super-hero (and she wants to be - capes are sooo in this year), her superpowers would be the ability to find the best bottle of cheap champagne and answer all questions relating to Star Wars trivia. Her weaknesses would be the inability to resist good champagne and Star Wars trivia challenges. She also likes to talk about herself in the third person, as this bio indicates.

Heather is seeking representation.

You can find her on this blog (www.MagicCityWriting.com), Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/HNLeonardAuthor?fref=ts), and Twitter (@HNLeonard - https://twitter.com/HNLeonard)


"Mapping Fate" by Kimberly MacCarron


Her newly-nominated book MAPPING FATE is a New Adult mashup of magic and murder/mystery. When local girls are found dead in front of broken mirrors, Moira Cassidy teams up with the hot admissions officer at the local college to solve the murders, as rumors spread that Bloody Mary is back, seeking revenge against the town where she was killed 100 years ago.

Kimberly graduated with majors in Writing and Communications with minors in English and Public Relations. She worked as a speech writer, an assistant editor for a magazine, and a public relations specialist. It wasn’t until after she was married with children that she decided to pursue her dream of writing her own books.

She lives outside Washington, D.C. with her husband, five kids (ages 9-14), a demanding cat and one neglected garden. When she’s not reading or writing, she can be found volunteering at school, chauffeuring kids to soccer, and covertly listening to her teenage daughters talk to their friends. In the name of research, of course.

Kimberly is a member of RWA, WRW, YARWA and The Golden Network. She is represented by Michelle Grajkowski at 3 Seas Literary Agency.


"Undercover Enchanter" by Melanie McCarthy

With over a decade of professional writing experience, Melanie is the writer of eight fiction manuscripts, including four fantasy romances, three contemporary romances and one children's fantasy. Her manuscripts have seen success in various RWA-sponsored contests including First Place in the Sweet Spicy Spooky Contest, Unsinkable Heroine Award in the Molly, Third Place in the Southern Heat Contest, Third Place in the STAR Contest and two semi-finalist showings in the Molly Contest. She was also a finalist in the FRW Golden Palm, the Cleveland Rocks Romance and the RWA Emily competitions.

Melanie is represented by Marisa Cleveland of The Seymour Agency.


"Coyote Walks" by Maria Powers

Prudence Porter, born a witch, is blood bonded to be the next family keeper of the Gabriel Hell Gate. But when her mother's death is foretold, Prudence will do anything to save her mother's life, even if it puts the entire human realm in jeopardy. Of course, the sexy coyote messenger who walks through her door may just have the power to change  everything.

Alex Driscoll, a shape shifting coyote from the Messenger clans, is determined to finish one last assignment in Gehenna and then he’s leaving to find his brother. Trouble is this assignment bonds him to Prudence and now he must face the Prince of Hell or risk losing Prudence forever. Only how can he ever be sure that she loves him when it was magic that brought them together. A shape shifting coyote and a born witch brought together by magic and betrayal must find the courage to trust each other and their love or risk plunging the world into a new dark age ruled by demons and fallen angels.

Maria Powers grew up in Southern California. She graduated with a degree in English and
promptly entered the Business world. By day she works in Affordable Housing wrangling
contracts and agreements with several government agencies, and by night she writes kickass
heroines and tough heroes with sensitive hearts ready to be tamed by the girl next door or beaten
into submission by the witch on the corner, whatever works. Maria’s current work in progress is
a Paranormal Romance series set in the San Gabriel Valley. The first book in the series, Coyote
Walks, is a finalist in this year’s Golden Heart® contest. She’s a member of the Romance
Writers of America® and is a member of three of the four local chapters, Los Angeles Romance
Authors, Orange County Chapter – RWA, and East Valley Authors.

Maria is currently unagented and seeking representation. She’s on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/MariaPowersWriter?ref=hl and on Twitter @MariaPowers1. You can  find her at www.mariapowers.com.


"Stone Hunter" by Tara Sheets


Two-time Golden Heart® finalist, Tara Sheets, is a member of the Pacific Northwest Writers Association, Romance Writers of America, and a graduate of the University of Washington’s Popular Fiction Writing Program.  She is a PNWA Literary Contest judge and has also served as a coordinator, moderator, and category chairperson for the annual PNWA Writers’ Conference.  Tara spent most of her childhood as an American abroad, growing up in different countries.  Always a voracious reader, she learned from a very early age that books have the power to take you anywhere you want to go, no matter where you are. In college Tara studied English Literature, Psychology, Philosophy, and Journalism.  She received a B.A. in Communications from California State University of Sacramento and worked as an editing intern at a public relations firm.  Shortly after graduating, she moved to the Pacific Northwest, where she discovered lots and lots of rain.  It took her ten years to decide to stay.  Now she has a book-loving family, a furry mop of a dog named Merlin, and one of Tolkien’s ents in her backyard.  She wouldn’t dream of living anywhere else.