Jeannie Lin is an author of historical romance novels. Her debut novel Butterfly Swords won the Golden Heart award for Historical fiction from the Romance Writers of America association.
Before becoming a novelist, Lin was a high school teacher in South Central Los Angeles. [1]
Lin's writing was influenced by her early love of Western epic fantasy, martial arts, and romance novels. [2] Her historical romance novels, published with Harlequin, are set in Tang Dynasty China, [3] and have been praised for their historical accuracy and detail. [4]
Lin won the Golden Heart award for Historical fiction from the Romance Writers of America in 2009, for her debut novel Butterfly Swords. [5] The award recognises new, unpublished romance authors. [6]
Lin's other novels include The Dragon and the Pearl, My Fair Concubine, and The Lotus Palace. [2] Library Journal listed The Dragon and the Pearl as one of the best books published in 2011. [7] In 2014 The Lotus Palace reached the USA Today Bestseller list. [8] In 2013 it was announced that The Jade Temptress, the sequel to The Lotus Palace, would be published digitally only. [8]
In 2014 Lin began writing the Gunpowder Chronicles, a series of novels in the steampunk genre, set during the Opium Wars of the 19th century. [1] The first book in the series Gunpowder Alchemy was praised for its depiction of a strong and complex protagonist. [9]
Julie Pottinger, better known by her pen name, Julia Quinn, is an American author of historical romance fiction. Her novels have been translated into 41 languages and have appeared on The New York Times Bestseller List 19 times. She has been inducted into the Romance Writers of America Hall of Fame. Her Bridgerton series of novels has been adapted for Netflix by Shondaland under the title Bridgerton.
Kate Elliott is the pen name of American fantasy and science fiction writer Alis A. Rasmussen.
Patricia Nead Elrod is an American novelist specializing in urban fantasy. She has written in the mystery, romance, paranormal, and historical genres with at least one foray into comedic fantasy. Elrod is also an editor, having worked on several collections for Ace Science Fiction, DAW, Benbella Books, and St. Martin's Griffin. She self-published a signed, limited edition novel under her own imprint, Vampwriter Books.
Nora Roberts is an American author of over 225 romance novels. She also writes as J. D. Robb, Jill March, and Sarah Hardesty.
Shannon Donnelly is an author of children’s books, romance novels, video games, and non-fiction books.
Radclyffe is an American author of lesbian romance, paranormal romance, erotica, and mystery. She has authored multiple short stories, written fan fiction, and edited numerous anthologies. Radclyffe is a member of the Saints and Sinners Literary Hall of Fame and has won numerous literary awards, including the RWA/GDRWA Booksellers' Best award, the RWA/Orange County Book Buyers Best award, the RWA/New England Bean Pot award, the RWA/VCRW Laurel Wreath award, the RWA/FTHRW Lories award, the RWA/HODRW Aspen Gold award, the RWA Prism award, the Golden Crown Literary Award, and the Lambda Literary Award. She is a 2003/04 recipient of the Alice B Readers Award for her body of work as well as a member of the Golden Crown Literary Society, Pink Ink, and the Romance Writers of America. In 2014, the Lambda Literary Foundation awarded Barot with the Dr. James Duggins Outstanding Mid-Career Novelist award acknowledging her as an established author with a strong following and the promise of future high-quality work. In 2015 she was a featured author in the award-winning documentary film about the romance writing and reading community, Love Between the Covers, from Blueberry Hill Productions. In 2019 she was named a Trailblazer in Romance by the Romance Writers of America, for her works of LGBTQ+ fiction. In 2021, she was named one of The Advocate's Women of the Year.
Romance Writers of America (RWA) is an American non-profit writers' association founded in 1980. Its mission is to "advance the professional and common business interests of career-focused romance writers through networking and advocacy and by increasing public awareness of the romance genre." Relevant works must be themed around the development of a romantic relationship between two people, and there must be a happy ending. As well as published authors, those with complete but unpublished manuscripts are eligible for membership.
Jessica Rowley Pell Bird Blakemore is an American novelist. Under her maiden name, Jessica Bird, she writes contemporary romance novels, and as J.R. Ward, she writes paranormal romance. She is a three-time winner of the Romance Writers of America RITA Award, once as Bird for Best Short Contemporary Romance for From the First and twice as Ward for Best Paranormal Romance for Lover Revealed and Dearest Ivie, and her books have been on The New York Times Best Seller list.
Christine Feehan is an American author of paranormal romance, paranormal military thrillers, and fantasy. She is a #1 New York Times, #1 Publishers Weekly, and International bestselling author of seven series; Carpathian, GhostWalker Series, Drake Sisters, Sister of the HeartSeries, Shadow Riders Series, Leopard Series and Torpedo Ink Series. Six of the seven series have made #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. As of January 2020 she has 80 published novels. The first in her Torpedo Ink Series, Judgment Road, debuted at #1 on the New York Times bestsellers list.
Anne Mallory is an American author of historical romance novels. Her books blend romance and mystery. Her name is a pseudonym.
The RITA Award, presented by the Romance Writers of America (RWA) from 1990 to 2019, was the most prominent award for English-language romance fiction. It was named for the RWA's first president, Rita Clay Estrada. After not being awarded in 2020, it was replaced by the Vivian Award, which was awarded once in 2021.
Kresley Cole is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of paranormal romance and young adult novels. She has received three Romance Writers of America (RWA) RITA Awards and was inducted into the RWA Hall of Fame in 2009.
Sarah MacLean is a New York Times bestselling American author of young adult novels and romance novels. Her first adult romance novel, Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake debuted on the New York Times Bestseller List, where it stayed for four weeks. Since then, all of her adult romance novels have been on the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists. From 2014 to 2018, MacLean wrote a monthly romance novel review column for The Washington Post. She is a two-time winner of the Romance Writers of America RITA Award for Best Historical Romance for A Rogue by Any Other Name in 2013 and No Good Duke Goes Unpunished in 2014. She is also the co-host of the weekly Fated Mates Podcast, where she and her co-host, Jen Prokop, analyze and deconstruct the romance genre.
Kristina McMorris is an American author of several New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling books and a former actress. Her works of fiction include two novellas and seven historical novels, most notably the million-copy bestseller Sold on a Monday.
Susanna Kearsley is a New York Times best-selling Canadian novelist of historical fiction and mystery, as well as thrillers under the pen name Emma Cole. In 2014, she received Romance Writers of America's RITA Award for Best Paranormal Romance for The Firebird.
Barbara Freethy is a #1 New York Times bestselling American author of women's fiction, contemporary romance and romantic suspense. She is a two-time winner of Romance Writers of America's RITA Award for Best Contemporary Single Title Romance for Daniel's Gift in 1997, and for Best Contemporary Single Title Romance for The Way Back Home in 2013. She has sold over 5 million books, with 18 books making the New York Times bestseller list. In 2014, she was named the Amazon KDP Bestselling Author of All Time.
Lorraine Heath is an American author of contemporary romance, historical romance, paranormal romance and young adult novels under multiple pen names, including Rachel Hawthorne, J.A. London, and Jade Parker. She is known for her "beautiful, deeply emotional romances" and in 1997, she received the Romance Writers of America RITA Award for Best Short Historical Romance for her novel Always to Remember. As of June 2015, fifteen of her titles made the USA Today bestseller list.
Anne Elizabeth is an American romance novel writer. She also writes graphic novels and comics. Elizabeth is a member of the Authors Guild and Romance Writers of America.
Vivian Arend is a Canadian author of contemporary romance, romantic suspense and paranormal romance novels. She has published books with Harlequin Enterprises, Berkley, Samhain Publishing, and Entangled. Arend has had multiple titles on the USA Today and New York Times bestseller lists. Her Six Pack Ranch series is set in Canada and has appeared on several e-book bestseller lists.
Pintip Dunn is a New York Times best-selling author of young adult fiction. Her Forget Tomorrow series has been translated into four languages. She is a two-time recipient of the RITA Award.