Advance Writers - Meet The Authors

Pat Byrdsong – Former editor for Confessions magazines.

Stacy Boyd, Editor, LUNA Books/Silhouette Books

Originally from LaGrange, Georgia, Stacy Boyd is a voracious reader who turned her love of stories into a degree in studying people (aka, cultural anthropology) from New College of Florida. She’s been with Harlequin Books since 2001 and has edited for both Harlequin and Silhouette series romance as well as for the LUNA Books trade imprint. She’s the winner of the 2004 PASIC Editor of Merit award, and her author base consists of many talented writers, including Nebula Award winners and Waldenbooks bestsellers. The fiction in her editing schedule this year includes romance, action-adventure, legal thrillers, women’s fiction, and traditional and contemporary fantasy.

Krista Stroever—Associate Senior Editor, Steeple Hill/Harlequin/Silhouette

Krista Stroever joined Harlequin/Silhouette in 2003 as an editor for Steeple Hill where she’s been fortunate enough to acquire and work with many beloved inspirational authors, including Jacquelin Thomas and Felicia Mason, across a variety of genres including romantic suspense, chick- and mom-lit, historical romance and good-old-fashioned romance. In her new position as Associate Senior Editor, she is in charge of the popular Love Inspired and Love Inspired Suspense lines. She was at HarperCollins previously, where she worked with Catherine Todd and Tony Hillerman, among many other authors. Prior to HarperCollins, she was a member of the romance team at Avon. She holds a B.A. in Germanic Languages and Literature from Princeton University.

Karen Thomas – Editor for Dafina Books

Monica Harris – Dorchester Books,

Charlene Keel - is the author of 12 novels and how-to published books, for which she recovered all rights. She then turned them into e-books and presents them now on www.tantalizingtales.com. Her television credits include RITUALS, a syndicated soaper she created based on her own book, and multiple episodes of FANTASY ISLAND and DAYS OF OUR LIVES. She has also written and/or produced such television pilots as ROMANCE THEATRE, FOLLOW YOUR HEART and the first annual MR. ROMANCE COVER MODEL PAGEANT.

In 1992, Keel was hired as convention coordinator for ROMANTIC TIMES. A year later, she became managing editor of PLAYGIRL; and after one year in that position, she left to start her own publication, I’LL TAKE ROMANCE!

Keel has also worked as editor in chief of FOR THE BRIDE, and as editor in chief of SPICE, a teen music fanzine published by The Starlog Group. And she has worked as a stewardess, a secretary, a mother, an administrative assistant, a publicist and a full-time freelance writer.

Noemi Rivera - Ocean's Mist Press

Diane Dorce is an author of upcoming novel Devil In The Mist, a suspense/thriller featuring ex-NBA player turned detective, Zack Monstar. My writing credentials include, All Gods Children Have Wings, a musical stage play that debuted in Atlanta, 1992 and Loving Penny, a middle-grade book about one girls experience with obesity, published in 2001. I am the owner and co-publisher of FireFly Publishing & Entertainment, formed September, 2005.

Celise Downs was born, and currently makes her home, in Phoenix, AZ. Her love of writing began in the seventh grade and was further encouraged by a high school English teacher. She's a big fan of James Bond (Sean and Pierce), Betty Boop and adult series romance books. She enjoys going to the movies, reading, listening to music (especially Linkin Park), and watching her favorite T.V. shows: Smallville and Alias. Celise shares her home with her soulmate, Steven, and a talkative cat named Sweetpea. Celise is also a member of the following organizations: Publisher's Marketing Association, Society for Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, Arizona Book Publishing Association, National Association for Women's Writers, and the Little Owl Mentoring Program.

Edwardo Jackson is a graduate of Morehouse College and has an MBA from the University of Phoenix. The winner of the 1993 NAACP ACTSO Silver Medal in Playwriting, he is an author, screenwriter, and actor, as well as a President of the entertainment promotional company JCM Entertainment, LLC. His other works include Ever After (2001), Neva Hafta (2002) “ both published by Random House/Villard Books the forthcoming sequel I Do? (November 2005) as well as the story And Then She Cried, featured in the anthology Proverbs for the People (Kensington, 2003) and Broken Rules in the anthology Intimacy (Penguin Plume, 2004). Originally from Seattle, WA, Mr. Jackson resides in Los Angeles, CA.

Shirley Hailstock is the author of seventeen novels and novellas. She has received numerous awards for her work, including the Holt Medallion, the Barclay Gold Award and the Waldenbooks Best-selling Romance Award. Romantic Times awarded her a Career Achievement Award and one of her books made the Top 100 Romances of the 20th Century list.

Shirley's books have appeared on Blackboard and the Library Journal Best Seller Lists. She is a past president of Romance Writers of America.

G. Miki Hayden has written four published books, all well-received, with two given special acknowledgement. Pacific Empire won a rave in The NYTimes, while Writing the Mystery was nominated for an Agatha, an Anthony, and a Macavity--winning the Macavity. In 2004, Miki was presented with an Edgar for her story “The Maids.” G. Miki Hayden has been nominated for and has won other writing awards. A 25-year trade journalist, Miki teaches both fiction and nonfiction classes at Writer’s Digest’s online workshops. Miki's latest full-length work is The Naked Writer, a style and composition guide for all levels of writers, which will be out in March.

Dr Bob Rich is an Australian writer with 13 published books, three of them international award winners. One of his non-fiction books is in its fourth edition, and has sold hundreds of thousands of copies since 1987. He doesn't believe in specialization, but that if someone else can do it, he (and you) can learn it. So, his writing covers several fields of non-fiction (building skills; woodcraft; self-help psychology -- he is a psychologist as well; self-help health) and fiction (science fiction, historical adventure, contemporary, crime, romantic suspense).

Since 1999, Bob has worked as a professional editor. His service is currently used by six independent publishers, and an endless stream of writers, ranging from multiple-published award-winners to first-time tryers.

If you want to know more, go to http://bobswriting.com

Lindsay Murdock – The editor of Murdock Editing (www.murdockediting.com), a
personal editing and consulting company, Lindsay Murdock assists and guides
new authors through the process of publication. She creates a supportive but honest environment, allowing authors to improve their understanding of their readers, the publishing industry, and their own writing strengths.

Born in PA, Lindsay has a BA in English Literature, a BS in Journalism, and
extensive professional experience in journalism, publishing, and freelance editing. She currently lives and works from her home in NJ. She is also the editor of Writers Advance, a monthly newsletter for authors working toward publication (www.writersadvance.com).

Michelle Buckley – Fiction author

Monica Jackson – Romance and Paranormal author

Beverly Jenkins – Romantic Suspense and Historical Author

Celine Chatillon – Erotica Author