Lee Benning, writing as Lee Edwards Benning for non-fiction; Lee Arthur for fiction. At last count, it was 14 high-paying of the former versus one great-fun-to-write of the latter: an historical published decades ago. Now, instead of cookbooks and how-to’s and exposés and handbooks, fiction has taken center stage. (Although to be truthful, she has several non-fiction proposals with her agent-just in case-and is somewhat fearful one will sell which will give her no time for fiction-writing.) A graduate of Penn State University with a major in communications, she has been an advertising fashion writer, food writer, and TV-commercial writer for such clients as Tastykake, Sealtest Ice Cream, and “Newsweek”. She has been married for 40 plus great years to an advertising genius with words–a mixed blessing when it comes to one’s ego, but he’s great with titles. For the past seven years, she has been a Granny-Nanny for her three grandchildren, ages 7½ and younger. During that same time, she and her husband, with the help of an Amish family, have renovated an 1849 Pennsylvania bank-barn using windows and doors and floors and the like, including a complete kitchen, bought at demolition sales. The two finally moved in the first of 2009.

Laura Graham Booth is a recovering mathematician. She always wanted to be a writer but was sidetracked by a career in software development instead. When motherhood called, she left the computer realm behind and embarked on a new career as a writer. She writes contemporary romance and is a two-time Golden Heart finalist. She lives with her family near the Chesapeake Bay, where she spends too much time time staring at sailboats and daydreaming. Visit her website at www.lauragrahambooth.com.

Terri Brisbin When not living the glamorous life of a romance author in the southern NJ suburbs, Terri spends her time being a married mom of three boys (now young men!) and one daughter-in-law as well as a dental hygienist of hundreds. Active in several RWA chapters, Terri speaks at local and regional conferences across the US. A three-time RWA RITA finalist, Terri has sold more than 1.6 million copies of her historical romance novels and novellas in more than 20 countries around the world since 1998 and has been published by Berkley/Jove, Harlequin, and Kensington Books. She’s now working on more romances for release through 2013 and rereleasing her original books in digital formats. Visit her website at  www.terribrisbin.com or “friend” her at Facebook at facebook.com/terribrisbin.

Adele Dubois is VFRW President and a PAN member of Romance Writers of America. She is an award-winning, multi-published romance author of sexy contemporary and paranormal titles. Adele is a former newspaper and magazine columnist, features writer, and foreign correspondent published in the USA, UK, and the Caribbean. To learn more about her books, please visit her website at www.adeledubois.com/.

Eileen Emerson spent years getting a Master’s degree in costume design for the theatre, and then chucked it all to make her way in the world of Corporate America. She turned her creative focus to writing in 2010, and has begun submitting her work to the contest circuit, with excellent results. Her first manuscript, A WHISPER TO THE WILD, won the Historical category in the 2011 West Houston RWA’s Emily contest (as Eileen Ramsay), placed second in the 2011 Washington Romance Writers Marlene contest, and is a finalist in both the 2011 Valley Forge Romance Writers Sheila contest and the 2011 Beau Monde’s Royal Ascot contest.  Eileen is currently working on a whole slew of new work and plans to keep submitting to contests in the hopes that she will finally be able to make her next – and hopefully LAST – career change.

Judi Fennell, award-winning author, past president of VFRW and recipient of the Winston Award for Chapter Service, won the PRISM and Golden Leaf Awards for her tongue-in-cheek, light-hearted paranormal romantic comedy series about Mermen and the Humans who love them (In Over Her Head, Wild Blue Under, and Catchof a Lifetime) from Sourcebooks Casablanca in 2009 and 2010. The first book in her Genie series, I Dream of Genies, which garnered a starred review from Publishers Weekly and Best Book from Long and Short Reviews, will soon befollowed by Genie Knows Best (November 2011) and Leave It To Genie (Spring 2012). She was a finalist in three online contests similar to American Idolfor writers: Top 6 Finalist in the third American Title contest, Top 20 Finalist (of 2,676 entries) in the original Simon & Schuster/Gather.com First Chapters Contest, and Top 5 for the Gather.com/Pocket Books First Chapters Romance contest. Judi is represented by Jennifer Schober of Spencerhill Associates. Check out blurbs, covers, excerpts, reviews and deleted scenes on Judi’s website, www.JudiFennell.com to discover a whole new world where you can dive into the romance!

Stephanie Julian is the author of the Forgotten Goddesses, Magical Seduction, Lucani Lovers, The Fringe, Darkly Enchanted and DeMarco Investigations series. A former reporter for a daily newspaper, she enjoys making up stories much more than writing about real life. She’s happily married to a Springsteen fanatic and is the mother of two sons who love her even when they don’t have any clean clothes and dinner is a bowl of cereal. Visit Stephanie at  www.StephanieJulian.com.

Robin Kaye was born in Brooklyn, New York and grew up in the shadow of the Brooklyn Bridge next door to her Sicilian grandparents. Living with an extended family that’s a cross between Gilligan’s Island and The Sopranos, minus the desert isle and illegal activities, explains both her comedic timing and the cast of quirky characters in her books. She’s lived in half a dozen states from Idaho to Florida, but the romance of Brooklyn has never left her heart. She currently resides in Maryland with her husband, three children, two dogs, and a three-legged cat with attitude. Robin’s first book, Romeo, Romeo, a 2007 Golden Heart Winner, is available now, and the second book in the Domestic Gods series will be released May, 2009 from Sourcebooks, Casablanca. Visit her Author Website:  www.robinkayewrites.com

Lynn Kellan fell in love with bad boys, burly athletes, and battle hardened marines. Unfortunately, none of them knew she existed. Seeking solace, she picked up a romance novel and loved it so much that she decided to write one herself. She produced a manuscript that was a two-time RWA contest finalist. In 2012, Lynn will release Anything You Ask, available on Kindle, Barnes and Noble, and iBooks. She seeks to find the love and funny in every story, and invites you to visit her at www.forloveorfunny.com.

Elizabeth Kelley holds an M.B.A, is a C.P.A, C.T.P, and a former corporate executive with a long career in international finance. She has developed and presented workshops to diverse audiences across the country related to business development, strategic planning, and goal setting. In 2009, Elizabeth established a five year business plan to develop her writing career and less than eighteen months later she was a finalist in several writing contests. Today, she continues to work toward her publishing goals.

Carla Kempert has been writing *something* for as long as she can remember.  It started with essays and poems and, thanks to regular bike rides to the local used bookstore, eventually morphed into a love of contemporary romance.  A two-time contest finalist, she’s currently putting the finishing touches on her sixth full-length manuscript.  When she’s not working on her latest WiP, she’s raising two teenage boys, doing something at Variety Club, or battling her addiction to yarn.  Feel free to ask her about autism or Variety Club Camp for Children with Disabilities. Please visit her at www.carlakempert.com.

Jacki Kelly started making up stories when she was in grade school. That’s been one of the most consistent behaviors in her life. Her bulging files attest to her passion for writing. They are filled with completed manuscripts, story snippets, and characters waiting for their turn to appear on her pages. Even while walking her adorable chocolate cocker spaniel, she’s working through plot details in her head. She was a finalist in two RWA contests with her contemporary romance, The Sweet Road Home. Jacki recently published a short story entitled Blind Date on Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.com. Soon she’ll be publishing a novella as part of a romantic anthology. She’s in the process of submitting The Sweet Road Home and Packed and Ready to Go for publication. Please visit her at www.JackiKelly.com.

Leslie Anne Lighton is the VFRW Co-Webmistress. She enjoys writing both fiction and nonfiction. Leslie’s romantic suspense manuscript HOOK, LINE AND SINK HER is a VFRW 2011 Shelia contest finalist. In 2007, her series contemporary manuscript, WITHOUT LIMITS, won fourth-place in the RWA Coeur de Louisiane’s Romancing the Tome contest. Her history book UPPER PROVIDENCE BICENTENNIAL, published in 2005, benefits the Royersford Free Public Library and she is currently preparing to publish an updated biography of a key Revolutionary War era stakeholder. In addition, two of her screenplays are on file at the Library of Congress. By profession, Leslie is a compliance auditor for a global pharmaceutical company. She has also worked as a photojournalist, computer programmer/validation analyst, and training class developer/instructor.

Cara Marsi (aka Carolyn Matkowsky) is a Delaware native who managed to escape the state for several years to live in Canada and Pennsylvania. Sadly, they found her and brought her back. A formercorporate drone and cubicle dweller, Carolyn is now happily unemployed andwriting full time. Writing romance feeds her creative cravings. Carolyn hasbeen writing stories in her head since she was a child and always dreamed of being a writer. After a lifetime in the corporate world, she decided to pursueher dream and put her stories to paper. She joined Romance Writers of Americaand absorbed all she could about writing romance. After ten long years of hardwork and rejections, she sold her first book to Avalon, A CATERED AFFAIR, written under the name Carolyn Matkowsky. Since then she’s taken a pen name, Cara Marsi. Her second published book is a romantic suspense, LOGAN’S REDEMPTION, from The Wild Rose Press. When she got the rights back for LOGAN’S REDEMPTION, she published it herself on Amazon Kindle, where it’s been a top seller. She also has another romantic suspense with The Wild Rose Press, MURDER, MI AMORE. And she’s gone to the dark side with her newest novel, CURSED MATES, a werewolf paranormal romance from Noble Publishing. In addition she’s discovered a love of writing short stories and has sold numerous short romance stories to women’s magazines. Carolyn is a member of RWA, Elements RWA and VFRW and lives in Delaware with her husband and a fat black cat named Killer. Visit Carolyn at www.caramarsi.com.

Miriam Newman published poetry for many years before turning to the romance genre, where she has published a contemporary fantasy romance and “The Chronicles of Alcinia,” a fantasy historical consisting of The King’s Daughter and Heart of the Earth. Additional fantasy historicals and science fiction/fantasy manuscripts have been accepted, keeping her almost too busy for periodic trips to Ireland, where she draws her inspiration. She is particularly fond of the West of Ireland, where Gaelic is still spoken, and Celtic myths and legends form the basis of some of her works. She has no idea where her Muse finds the others! You can view her eclectic collection at www.miriamnewman.com, and she hopes you will. Currently, Miriam resides in rural Elverson, PA with a motley crew of rescue animals.

Martha Schroeder is a retired lawyer and law professor and mother of two. An honors graduate of Smith College and Columbia Law School, she has practiced with a major New York law firm and a Fortune 100 company and taught at Temple and Widener law schools. She has served as president of VFRW’s predecessor chapter, and secretary of VFRW. She has traveled extensively in North and South America, Europe and the Caribbean, and particularly enjoys spending time in England, the setting of many of her books. She writes both contemporaries and historicals. Ten of her novels have been published by several different publishers, among them Harlequin-Silhouette, Ballantine and Kensington. She discovered romance novels when looking for escape while studying for the New York Bar exam, and has remained a devoted fan ever since. Writing them has been even more fun than reading them and she plans to continue doing both for a long time to come!

Susan Spaulding grew up in the heart of Philadelphia, in a large family.  They were packed into a tiny house like sardines in a can and in those crowded days her only “escape” from her five siblings was into the world of books, where an affection for romance novels took root early on.  Married for five years, she is still in the honeymoon phase with her very own Price Charming/Superman/partner in crime, who provides endless inspiration for her writing.  She works in the insurance industry by day (in the glamorous world of underwriting!) and is an aspiring romance novelist by night, creating happily-ever-afters that focus on family, faith and friendship, with a few laughs thrown in!

Cathryn Pritchard was born in England and came to the United States with her family when she was sixteen. She worked as a talent agent and actress for several years before opening a casting company with a partner in Philadelphia, where she was the casting director for numerous television and radio commercials and handled extras casting for several feature films that shot in the Philadelphia area including “Twelve Monkeys” and “Up Close and Personal.” Currently she is the Manager of Corporate Communications for a real estate investment company that acquires and develops shopping centers. Her single title romantic comedy, STEPPING STONES, was a 2004 Golden Heart finalist. Other awards include first place in the Colorado Romance Writers 2003 “Heart of the Rockies” Contest in the Single Title category and first place in the Outreach International Romance Writers Award of Excellence Contest. Her next book, IN YOUR DREAMS, a romantic suspense, took first place in the Charter Oak Romance Writers 2004 “Oak Leaf Award of Excellence” contest in the Romantic Suspense category. She has recently completed her third novel, THE END AT RIVER’S BEND, which is a combination romantic comedy/murder mystery. Cathy served on the board of Valley Forge Romance Writers for four years as Corresponding Secretary, Web mistress and Treasurer.  Visit her website at www.cathrynpritchard.com.

Ann LaBar Russek has an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Alaska Anchorage. She has published poetry and nonfiction in many national and regional publications. She has been a guest artist for colleges such as Lebanon Valley College, Lafayette College, DeSales University, Muhlenberg College, and Reading Area Community College. In addition to poetry and non-fiction, she is at work on several children’s books, a new chapbook of poems, and a historical romance novel. She currently resides in Chester County.

Mariah Stewart is the New York Times, USA Today and Publisher’s Weekly best selling author of twenty-nine novels, three novellas and three short stories, and has been featured in the Wall Street Journal. She has been a RITA finalist in romantic suspense, and the recipient of the Award of Excellence for contemporary romance from the Colorado Romance Writers, a RIO Award for excellence in women’s fiction, and two Reviewers Choice Awards from Romantic Times Magazine – one for career achievement (2009). Her 2004 novel, DEAD WRONG, was honored as Borders best selling romantic suspense of that year.  A three-time winner of the Golden Leaf Award presented by the New Jersey Romance Writers, Mariah has been honored with their Lifetime Achievement Award (which placed her in their Hall of Fame along with former recipients Nora Roberts and Mary Jo Putney — very excellent company, indeed!). Her books are currently published by both Pocket Books and Ballantine Books. She has the unique distinction of having had the same agent and the same editorial team for every one of her novels. A native of Hightstown, NJ, she now lives with her husband and their dogs amidst the rolling hills of Chester County, PA, where she savors country life, tends her gardens, and tries to avoid running the Amish buggies off the road with her SUV. Mariah considers herself one lucky son of a gun to have landed the best job in the world: getting paid for making up stories. At home. In sweats and J. Crew flip flops. Could life be sweeter?

Kate Welsh often lost herself as a child in creating make believe worlds and happily-ever-after tales. Many years later she turned back to creating happy endings when her husband challenged her to write down the stories in her head. A lover of all things romantic, Kate has been writing romance for over twenty years now. Her first published novels hit the stands in 1998 and she´s written over twenty published novels since for Steeple Hill Love Inspired, Steeple Hill Love Inspired Suspense and Silhouette Special Edition. Kate is a three time finalist and two time winner of Romance Writers of America’s coveted Golden Heart. She was also a Rita finalist in 2000 for her second novel, Never Lie to an Angel. Substitute Daddy, her first Silhouette Special Edition and her second SSE, The Doctor´s Secret Child, were both WaldonBooks Series Best Sellers for multiple weeks. Kate was Valley Forge Romance Writers first President and in the past held the position of newsletter editor, member at large and chapter PAN Liaison. Kate lives her own happily-ever-after in the Philadelphia suburbs with her husband of over 30 years, her daughter, their one hundred pound Chesapeake Bay Retriever, Ecko and Kali, the family cat. Kali didn’t want a playmate when the puppy moved in ten years ago and she’s still trying to coax him into moving out which makes for a happening household.

Alice Wootson, was born and grew up in Rankin, PA, a borough outside of Pittsburgh. She came to this area to attend Cheyney University and stayed to take a teaching position in the Philadelphia School District. She retired from teaching ten years ago and began her second career, writing romance novels. Ike, her husband of more than forty years, is very supportive and says his new career is Driving Miss Alice. Alice is also a poet. (Her first novel, Snowbound with Love, was rejected by an agent as too poetic to have any commercial value. Two days later she got THE CALL from Karen Thomas, of Arabesque, offering a contract for the same book.) Alice is a member of RWA, NJRW and our own VFRW. To satisfy the poetic part of her soul, she is a member of the Mad Poets’ Society. She has been featured in many poetry venues in the area. Not to neglect her prose side, she is a member of the Philadelphia Writers’ Conference. Her published novels are as follows: To Love Again, Trust in Me, (which was nominated for an Emma Award by Romance Slam Jam), Home for Christmas, Dream Wedding and Snowbound with Love. A sixth novel, Escape to Love, will be released in June of this year. For more information, please visit her web site: www.alicewootson.net.

Renee Wynn is a true romantic who believes in happy endings. In high school she read her first Harlequin and has been hooked ever since. Her first book, The Heart Knows, was chosen as a Top Pick by Romantic Times. This has encouraged her to continue the journey. With her love for alpha males and strong heroines, she can’t wait to share her stories with you. Renee’s second book, Seasoned Just Right, will be released by Genesis Press in July 2012. Visit Renee at www.reneewynn.com.

Daria C. Yanez is a physician, a potter, and now a writer. Wife, and mother of two daughters, she found herself at loose ends when both girls left for college. She decided to indulge in a lifelong dream to write. She’s currently revising her first attempt at a Regency romance, and in the middle of her second effort, with outlines in the works for a third and fourth.

Ruth G. Zavitsanos began writing at the age of 12. Growing up outside of New York City, she attended many Broadway plays and musicals that served to stimulate her imagination. While attaining her Journalism degree at Marshall University she received numerous writing awards. She has been published in Writer’s Digest magazine and had an in-depth article in a regional magazine. Ruth is a member of PennWriters, Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators,  Valley Forge Romance Writers Group and Romance Writers of America. Her first novel, FLIGHT OF LITTLE DOVE (a historical/romance), has been receiving five star reviews and is a book club selection for several independent bookstores. Ruth’s children’s books, THE VILLA DOG and THE OLD FORTRESS DOG, have been embraced by children, parents and the educational community. She is currently working on another Western and her third children’s book, THE KONA DOG. Ruth enjoys Pilates, zumba, cooking, reading, music, photography, snorkeling, walks with her canine kids, and travel. A strong believer in travel serving as a telescope to meeting the world, she and her family have vacationed in Germany, Switzerland, England, Greece and Italy.They also have traveled throughout the United States and reside outside of Philadelphia, PA. She can be contacted at wtrworld@hotmail.com. Feel free to visit her website at www.ruthzonline.com

Last updated on January 22, 2012 at 10:04 am