Romancing the Midwest
Attending Authors 2027
Attending Author List
For more information on each see below
AS Adams
Rowyn Adelaide
Tori Alvare
Katie Ashley
Britton Ashley
Nicole Banks
C.L. Blossom
B.L. Brown
O’Junea Brown
Ren Browne
Samantha Brinn
Stef C.R.
Kat Caldwell
Cait Carlson
Amy Cole
Elizabeth Cole
Dany Crooks
Katherine Crowe
Starr Z Davies
Alice Daniels
Krysta Dearson
Monica J DeLoy
Danielle D’Maire
Rae Douglas
Ellie K. Drake
Cozy DuBois
G Eilsel
M.J. Etkind
Talia Everhart
Kelly Finley
Avery Flynn
K.R. Fryatt
Dani Galliaro
Parker A. Garner
Danielle Grandinetti
Sherelle Green
Markelle Grabo
Kris K. Haines
Lindsey Hart
J.D. Harbor
Miley Howard
Maggie Hoopis
Ashley James
Evi James
Chelasea Jean
Sarah Jaeger
Stephanie Jayne
Izabela Kamila
Willa Kay
Ashtyn Kiana
Morgan Kielisch
Riley Knight
Jules Kyle
Tabitha Krueger
Sam LaRose
Melissa Lam
Karmen Lee
R. D. G. Lover
E. H. Lupton
Danika Rose Lynn
M.J. Marino
Ellysa Marin
Elora Maxwel
Amy Nevills
Elle Nestico
K.M. Neuhold
Jade Waltz / Tera Nova
Mae Roberts
Emeric Rowene
Amelie Rhys
Grayce Rian
Samara Reed
Quinn Rivers
Maria Rigou
Khushi T. Saha
Kat Savage
Ann Schreiber
Anthony Scott
Stephanie J. Scott
Amy Stephens
Dana Storino
MK Owens
Jensen Parker
T. M. Polak
Melissa Raylene
Laiken Rhodes
Anastasia Wilder
Elle Wright
Sarah Zimm
Attending Authors
Look for Authors that are VIP Swag bag Sponsors. If you are a VIP ticket holder you can expect exclusive content from them
Sarah Jaeger She/Her
Paranormal, Open Door, LGBTQIA+, omegaverse, wolf shifter, bodyguard, mafia, dark romance - VIPSarah Jaeger is a paranormal romance author who also writes under the pen name Jaeger Rose. When she’s not writing, Sarah likes to recharge with solid TV show binges, playing cards and games with her family, and caring for her fur babies. Stay in touch with Sarah on her website or social media.
Purchase books at: Amazon
Ashtyn Kiana is an indie author whose debut novel comes out this September. Her day job doesn’t leave a lot of room for creativity, so she started writing her first novel as a way to express that side of herself. Ashtyn writes loves stories that are heartfelt, emotional, and swoony with a good helping of spice! When she’s not writing, she’s probably walking her dogs, making macrame, or at a local coffee shop.
Purchase books at: Amazon
Contemporary, Paranormal, Open Door, Interracial/multicultural -VIPAshtyn Kiana She/Her
Ren Browne She/Her
Ren Browne is a lifelong romantic, cowboy enthusiast, and rumored woodland spirit. When not reading or writing, she can be found spending time with her husband, who is the living embodiment of Ron Swanson, their two outdoor-loving children, their silly dog, and a growing flock of chickens.
Purchase books at: Amazon
Open Door, Historical, LGBTQIA+, Western/Cowboy -VIP
Fantasy/Romantasy, Erotic, Open Door, Romantic Suspense, mafia, secret society -VIPLaiken Rhodes She/Her
Laiken Rhodes, a true lover of dark romance works in her dream career by day and writes angst filled words by night. She loves encouraging her travel bug, splurging on her reading addiction, as well as cuddling her fur-babies, and hopes one day people will warn her before sending NSFW art without warning her first since the wrong people always open them!
When she’s not working 12 hour shifts at odd hours, you can find her with her beloved fur-baby, Neptune, and her family and friends kicked back with an adult beverage and a book in her hands.
Purchase books from Amazon
K.M. Neuhold She/Her
K.M. Neuhold is a complete romance junkie. bisexual and polyamorous, she often describes herself as being in love with love. She loves to write stories full of bearded, cinnamon roll men who get super swoony HEAs. Her philosophy is there’s so much angst and sadness for LGBT characters in media, all she wants is to give them the happiest happily ever afters she can with little angst, tons of humor, and SO MUCH STEAM. K.M. fully admits to her tendencies of making sure every side character has a full backstory that will likely always lead to every book turning into a series or spin-off. When she's not writing she's a lion tamer, an astronaut, and a superhero...just kidding, she's likely watching Netflix and snuggling with her huskies while her amazing husband brings her coffee.
Purchase books at: Amazon
Contemporary, Open Door, LGBTQIA+, M/M romance -VIP
Charlotte Mallory She/Her
Contemporary, Paranormal, Fantasy/Romantasy, Open Door-VIP
Krysta Dearson She/Her
Contemporary, Medical -VIPKrysta Dearson is a writer of romance with laughs, spice, and all the feels –—if she’s able to sprinkle in a little Midwest charm as well, the more the better. She is so excited to attend a signing in Madison which is near and dear to her heart as a Badger alum! A voracious reader of all types of romance herself, she loves a good HEA along with angst, a strong heroine, and a swoon-worthy hero, but she’s the happiest when a book makes her laugh. In fact, she’d be supremely disappointed if she doesn’t make you laugh multiple times when reading her books. When she’s not writing or working as a physician, she’s juggling reading, listening to audiobooks, watching law tube, and avoiding exercise and the sun with her vampiric skin. Otherwise, she can usually be found with a can of Diet Coke in hand while spending time with her two kids alongside her husband in Wisconsin.
Purchase books from Amazon
Contemporary, Paranormal, Fantasy/Romantasy, Open Door, LGBTQIA+, Medical, Romantic Suspense -VIPPhoenix Kathryn They/Them
Phoenix Kathryn is an LGBT+ and disabled author with an obsession for thick books. They love to write characters with representation readers can relate to. While twists and turns are often found in their writing, you can bet on seeing an animal sidekick and hilariously horrible jokes somewhere inside. Phoenix hopes to push the boundaries on upcoming releases and provide more representation on bookshelves that brighten the lives of others.
Purchase books direct from website.
Avery Flynn She/Her
Contemporary, Paranormal, Open Door -VIP
Katie Ashley She/Her
Contemporary, Dark Romance, Rom Com -VIPKatie Ashley is a New York Times, USA Today, and Amazon Top Three Best-Selling author of both Indie and Traditionally published books. She's written mafia, rockers, bikers, manwhores with hearts of gold, New Adult, and Young Adult. She lives outside of Atlanta, Georgia with her daughter, Olivia, her rescue mutts, Belle and Nova, and her three “foster fail” cats, Mama Kitty, Joe, and Pepper. She has a slight obsession with The Golden Girls, Shakespeare, Harry Potter, and Star Wars.
Although she is a life-long Georgia peach, she loves traveling the country and world meeting readers. Most days you’ll find her shuttling her daughter to basketball or volleyball practice, reading or doom scrolling Tik Tok while she’s procrastinating writing.
Purchase books at: Amazon
Melissa Raylene She/Her
Paranormal, Why choose / dark/ omegaverse -VIPMelissa lives in Aurora Colorado. Native to Colorado she enjoys it with her Husband, 6 kids, 2 dogs and last but not least 5 cats. And before you say anything yes she will be an old cat lady. Melissa attends Metro State University Of Denver where she will be majoring in History and minoring in Gender and Women Studies! Melissa loves to
make crafts and read when she has time.
Melissa's grandmother died in October 2024 about 2 weeks after her birthday. After that happened she took to reading. Deciding that writing her own book and going after her dreams would be the best. Life is too short andtomorrow is never guaranteed!
Melissa is a Dark Romance Author. Why choose, mafia and shifter romances / Omegaverse are her specialty! Throwing in masked men and motorcycles because why not!
Purchase books from Amazon
Open Door, Romantic Suspense, Dark Romance Ashley McKnight She/Her
Ashley McKnight is a dark romance author who thrives on writing devilishly dark love stories with morally gray men you’ll go crazy for. A proud Wisconsin native, she survives the harsh winters cozied up with a blanket, her dog, and a book collection that could double as a small library. When she’s not crafting stories that leave readers questioning their morals, you can find her binge-watching The Office, plotting her next bookish obsession, or bribing her characters to behave (spoiler: they never do).
Looking for a love story that’s a little bit sinful and a whole lot addictive? Ashley’s got you covered.
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A.G. Mayes She/Her
A.G. Mayes is a writer and retired parking lot striper who spent two decades dodging cars, debating stall widths, and collecting stories from the asphalt. She grew up believing in magic and still half-expects someone to show up and tell her she's part fairy.
Purchase books at: Bookshop.org
Contemporary, Paranormal, Fantasy/Romantasy, Open Door
Evi James She/Her
Contemporary, Paranormal
Elle Wright She/Her
Contemporary, Open Door, Multicultural, Romantic ComedyElle Wright is an award-winning author of edgy contemporary romance loaded
with heat, humor, and scandal. Her novels feature strong, intelligent, courageous,
beautiful, yet flawed, heroes and heroines of color.
There was never a time when Elle wasn’t about to start a book, wasn't already deep
in a book—or had just finished one. She grew up believing in the power of reading
to transform, to heal, and to enhance life and love. She became a lover of all things
romance after her mother convinced her take a chance and read something new.
She resides in Michigan with her husband and children.
Purchase books at: Amazon
J.D. Harbor He/Him
Contemporary, Open Door, LGBTQIA+I’m J.D. Harbor, a romance novelist and travel advisor inspired by love stories set on the open sea. A former military photojournalist, I discovered my writing voice capturing real-life moments and now craft contemporary romances filled with connection, adventure, and self-discovery aboard cruise ships.
My RomantiSea Serenades series launched with Emerald Tide and Sapphire Seas, companion novels that follow two souls brought together by fate on a voyage. While their romance spans both books, each explores one character’s personal journey. The series has since expanded with the novella Amplified Pyrite, and continues with Scarlet Wave and Golden Shores. Inspired by my own experience of meeting my husband on a cruise, these stories celebrate the magic of love unfolding when least expected.
Purchase books at: Bookshop.org
Katy Michele She/Her
Katy Michele is the indie author based in Milwaukee. Her favorite trope is forced proximity, and she is a firm believer that found families are the best families.
Lover of all things romance, pop punk, tattoos, anime, rainy days, matcha, and her husband, Katy's purpose for writing is to remind readers that you are deserving of the love you read about.
When she's not writing, you can find her reading, or adding to her never-ending TBR
Purchase books at: Amazon
Contemporary, Open Door, Firefighter
Mae Roberts She/They
Contemporary, Erotic, Open Door, Romantic SuspenseMae Roberts is a queer author originally from the Midwest who spends 98% of her time reading, writing, or making friends on the internet. She’s currently hard at work on her second novel in the Whispering Series, alongside a handful of other fun and chaotic projects.
A lover of languages (she speaks five and counting), Mae thrives on learning new things, diving headfirst into her many hobbies and hyper fixations. Whether she’s obsessing over a new fictional world or exchanging book recs online, Mae is all about passion, connection, and storytelling that lingers.
Purchase books at: Bookshop.org
Contemporary, Erotic, Open Door, LGBTQIA+, Romantic Suspense, Small townSamara Reed She/Her
Samara is a mom of two small humans (one that's taller than her), and 3 dogs (2 little ones who think they’re big and a big one that thinks she’s human) She’s a dedicated wife to the most amazing and supportive man she's ever encountered. She lives in a small town in the midwest and is reading or creating nail polish strips when she's not writing or taking photos. She loves loose leaf tea, fandoms, music, hot baths and cozy blankets and loathes cold weather and snow.
Music is a driving influence to her writing and her play lists make zero sense, but that’s just how it goes!
Purchase books at direct from website.
Kelly Finley She/They
Contemporary, Erotic, Open Door, Multicultural, LGBTQIA+, Romantic SuspenseKelly Finley lives in the Carolinas with her sexy husband and sweet family.
A rebel with many causes, she fancies black leather, dirty jokes, big hearts, and smart mouths.
She believes in shameless love, so much so that her readers started calling her “The Queen of Spice.”
Now, she wears her crown with pride.
Dedicated to writing swoony, spicy books, she's most likely at her keyboard putting the next hot story on the page for you.
Purchase books at: Amazon and direct through website
Ashleigh T. Logan She/Her
Ashleigh T. Logan is an emerging romance author. She lives in Tennessee with her husband and two daughters. Learning more about the craft of writing is an obsession! When she isn’t working on her writing, she is usually reading or spending time with her family.
Purchase books at: Amazon
Contemporary, Fantasy/Romantasy, Open Door, LGBTQIA+, Romantic Suspense
Anthony Scott He/Him
Fantasy/Romantasy, Erotic, LGBTQIA+Anthony Scott is an accomplished author with over a decade of experience crafting high-stakes fictional narratives that push the boundaries of conventional storytelling. His work is dedicated to challenging stereotypes and unveiling the complexities of human experience. Through intricately woven plots and richly developed characters, Scott encourages readers to confront their inner biases and reconsider preconceived notions about diverse individuals and communities. His stories are not just entertainment; they serve as a mirror reflecting society's challenges and triumphs, urging audiences to engage in thoughtful reflection and dialogue.
Purchase books direct from Here.
M.J. Etkind She/Her
Paranormal, Fantasy/RomantasyM.J. Etkind lives a double life. By day, she is a corporate girly with a business degree. By night, she writes romance novels in a cozy book filled apartment. When she is not writing, she can be found walking her dog and getting coffee. M.J. Etkind’s most favorite fun fact is that she once took an entire vacation to visit a bookstore. Follow M.J. Etkind on Instagram for updates on future book releases.
Purchase books direct from Bookshop.org
Chelsea Jean She/Her
Chelsea Jean writes short + spicy romance that gets straight to the point.
She has now published three novels and two novelettes, with more on the way. Chelsea also hosts bookish events and runs a mobile bookstore featuring books and goodies from Midwest indie authors and vendors.
Purchase books on her webpage
Spicy Romance 
T. M. Polak She/Her
I write spicy, swoony, and emotionally layered romantic comedies that embrace both the magical and the meaningful. My stories won’t be limited to one theme, and will explore anything from arranged marriages, unexpected inheritances, rock stars, billionaires, and newly imagined magical worlds; but all woven together with inclusive representation, disability awareness, and just the right dose of fantasy.
Purchase books at: Amazon
Contemporary, Fantasy/Romantasy
Karmen Lee She/Her
Contemporary, Open Door, Multicultural, LGBTQIA+Karmen Lee is an author of diverse contemporary romance. Her characters are a little flirty, a lot sarcastic, and often far more emotional than they realize. She’s a lifelong Southerner living it up in Atlanta, Georgia with her kid, her cats, and humidity. When she’s not carpooling or packing lunches, you can probably find her enjoying a glass of wine, watching House Hunters International and dreaming up ways to show her readers a good time.
You can find out more about her on Instagram (@authorkarmenlee) where she occasionally shares pictures of just how much coffee she consumes on a daily basis.
Purchase books at: Website
Marina Hill She/Her
Contemporary, Open Door, Historical, MulticulturalMarina Hill is a multifaceted author of books from romance to historical fiction with an eventual path into fantasy. Her stories have been hailed as fun comfort reads while managing to discuss important topics. A New Jersey native, Marina spends her days working around books and her nights writing them.
Purchase books direct from Amazon.
Tabitha Krueger She/Her
Contemporary, Paranormal, Historical, HockeyTabitha Krueger was born and raised in Wisconsin. She currently still resides in Wisconsin with her husband, daughter, two dogs and turtle.
Tabitha has been a member of Romance Writers of America for the last 2 years and more recently became a member of Wisconsin Writers Association.
Purchase books at direct from Website.
Alice Daniels She/Her
Alice Daniels is a born and raised Minnesotan who loves to write books based on the small town she grew up in. Her books are sweet, spicy, and heartfelt with relatable characters.
As a child, she was an avid fiction reader, which evolved into a deep love for romance novels and the community surrounding them. She recently discovered a passion for putting her ideas into writing and decided to pursue her childhood dream of becoming an author.
She spends time with her family and friends when she’s not writing, especially on the lakes or outdoors in the summer.
Purchase books on Website.
Contemporary, Open Door, Medical, Sports soon 
Emeric Rowene They/He
Fantasy/Romantasy, LGBTQIA+Emeric is a storyteller and an artist based in the Twin Cities. They are the author of FRACTURED MAGIC, a sprawling epic fantasy-romance about political accountability and a pair of estranged best friends, and THE CASE FILES OF SHERIDAN BELL, a fantasy homage to the golden era of detective fiction. While most of their work sits squarely at the crossroads between old school fantasy and creeping gothic horror, they can also be found picking up a magnifying glass or exploring new planets. In their works, they carry on the storied queer tradition of exploring the haunting and the monstrous.
Beyond their books, Em is an attorney with extensive knowledge of fanworks and copyright. They have a B.A. in English Composition and have several years' experience as an SFF developmental editor. When not writing, they can be found reading or gaming, likely trapped under one of their five cats.
Purchase books at: Bookshop.org
Contemporary, Paranormal, Fantasy/Romantasy, Erotic, Open Door, LGBTQIA+G Eilsel She/Her
G. Eilsel is a self-described chaos gremlin who published her first book in early 2024, writing in two genres she loves: eccentric novellas and MM romance. As a lifelong avid reader, fantasy and paranormal make up the bulk of her work, but romance is always the common theme.
Her particular love language wavers between extreme snark and deeply emotional, and no matter how heavy the topic, expect to find some humor worked into everything she writes. Angsty and emotional, over the top and hilarious, and everything in between can be found between the covers of her books.
G. Eilsel lives in East Tennessee with her husband, two kids, two cats, and roughly one million bees.
Purchase books direct from website.
Tori Alvare She/Her
Contemporary, Open Door, MulticulturalTori Alvarez is an educator by day and author by night. She spent her days daydreaming different stories and scenes so she finally took the plunge and began putting them down on paper.
She writes real, honest romance with a hint of steam. She is a sucker for happily ever afters, so you will always find them in her books too. She has published the Graffiti Hearts series, books 1-3, Love's Influence, and is currently working on the Fast Lanes series.
Tori is a Texas girl, born and raised. She lives in Texas with her husband, daughter, dog & cat.
Purchase books at direct from Amazon.
Alice Stanco She/Her
Hey! I’m Alice, a full-time writer who has spent most of my life between the pages of fantasy books. While a born-and-raised Minnesotan, I am also half English! My writing explores the many cultural differences in a fictional sense.
Disability representation—both visible and invisible—is a strong focus in my work and a passion that will ring true indefinitely as someone living with a dynamic disability myself.
If dark, angsty romantasy with a heaping side of spice tickles your fancy, dive headfirst into my enchanted fantasy world, and risk not wanting to return…
Purchase books on Website.
Fantasy/Romantasy, Erotic, Open Door, LGBTQIA+
Samantha Brinn She/Her
Contemporary, Open DoorSamantha Brinn (Sam to everyone who knows her) is an author of sweet, spicy, and swoony contemporary romance novels. A Pittsburgh girl currently living in the suburbs of NYC, Sam stole her first romance novel off of her mom’s bookshelf at age thirteen and has read pretty much nothing but romance ever since. Her Kindle is basically an extension of her hand at this point.
A lawyer by day and author by night, Sam can most often be found in bed with her laptop and writing desk late into the night, having the time of her life writing words and weaving stories and grinning at her characters’ hijinks.
Aside from being a reader and a writer, Sam is a lover of French fries, Reese’s peanut butter cups, and diet Pepsi, and much like her debut FMC, she rarely makes her coffee the same way twice. A mom of two, Sam cosplays as an organized human, but at her core, she’s mostly chaos and prefers it that way, and is loving every second of this wild indie author ride.
Purchase books at: Amazon
Jensen Parker She/Her
Contemporary, Open Door, SportsJensen Parker is a contemporary romance author and native Hoosier. She studied English at Loyola University in Chicago, where she met her husband. Coffee, wine, and travel are her love languages (especially when they all coincide!).
With a passion for storytelling that blends heart and grit, Jensen crafts romance novels that dive into complex relationships and vibrant worlds. When not writing, she likes to spend time with her family, cook, or plan her next vacation.
Purchase books direct from website.
Rae Douglas They/She
Contemporary, Open Door, LGBTQIA+, Romantic SuspenseRae Douglas (they/she) is an author and emergency manager from the San Francisco Bay. They love writing stories about mutual obsession, family trauma, heathy BDSM and kink, and friends who know platonic love is just as valuable as romantic love. They have lived all over the United States, from Los Angeles to D.C. to Branson, and love road tripping as much as possible. In their free time, they can be found in a natural history museum, at a baseball game, or on a whale watching excursion. They can be reached at @seeraewrite on all platforms
Purchase books at direct from Amazon.
Talia Everhart She/Her
Talia Everhart is an author from Michigan with a lifelong love for storytelling. When she’s not immersed in fictional worlds, Talia enjoys crocheting, reading everything from romance to horror, or spending time with her husband, their two children, and the family’s cat. She’s happiest when surrounded by the people she loves, out exploring nature, or curled up under a handmade blanket with a book in hand.
Her novel, You Found Me in the Dark, marks the beginning of her publishing journey—an adventure that’s been years in the making. With warmth, imagination, and a touch of wit, Talia invites readers into the world she’s crafted and hopes they find as much joy in reading it as she did in writing it.
Purchase books on Amazon
Contemporary, Erotic, Open Door
Sherelle Green She/Her
Romantic Suspense, Black Romance, Dark RomanceUSA Today Bestselling Author Sherelle Green is known for her addictive, high-stakes dark mafia romances and the gritty empire she's built through her books. A place where ruthless antiheroes and complex heroines navigate twisted loyalties, betrayal, and forbidden passion.
With a deep fascination for the darker corners of love, she dives into themes of power, lust, vulnerability, and redemption, blending suspense and sensuality to keep readers on the edge of their seats.
Purchase books at: Website
Ann Schreiber She/Her
ContemporaryAnn Schreiber is a freelance copywriter, blogger, and lifelong book lover who
turned her passion for words into a thriving business and a growing collection of
published work. She’s the founder of Copywriting For You and the author of
three books: Perseverance. Reinvention. (2024), a raw and honest memoir; The
Top 10 Mistakes I Made My First Year as a Copywriter (2025), a practical guide
for new writers; and Emily’s Next Chapter (May 2025), her heartwarming fiction
debut about love, family, and second chances. Whether she’s crafting copy for
clients or diving into character development, Ann brings curiosity, empathy, and
a deep respect for storytelling to everything she writes.
Purchase books direct from Amazon
Ashley James She/Her
Contemporary, Open Door, LGBTQIA+, Western/CowboyAshley James is a queer romance author who writes stories full of heat, heart, and cowboys who know exactly how to steal yours. She enjoys creating fictional worlds full of love, acceptance, belonging, and hope. Originally from the Pacific Northwest, Ashley now calls upstate South Carolina home, where she lives with her very own book boyfriend, a herd of kids, and a pack of fur babies. When she’s not writing, you can find her plotting her next fictional masterpiece, binging gloriously trashy TV, or getting lost in the pages of her kindle.
Allison Trebacz She/Her
Fantasy/Romantasy, Open Door, Why Choose, Dark Fantasy Romance
Katherine Crowe She/Her
Contemporary, Fantasy/Romantasy, Closed Door, LGBTQIA+, Romantic Suspense, MafiaKatherine Crowe is a Wisconsin-based author of fantasy romance, rom-com, and romantic suspense. Paralegal by day and writer by night, Katherine finds her escape from legal briefs in the worlds of her novels.
In Katherine’s books, you’ll find vampires, werewolves, elves, and everything in between. But they’re not the enemies; they’re the stars: whether it’s falling from grace, falling in love, or falling for fae deals, supernova hearts abound in the words she writes.
When she’s not writing, you can find her at farmer’s markets, her local library, rescuing reptiles and pigeons, annoying her husband, or tending to her monster-sized sunflowers.
Purchase books on Barnes and Noble
Melissa Lam She/Her
Contemporary, Paranormal, Fantasy/Romantasy, Open Door, Romantic Suspense, MysteryMelissa Lam loves reading and writing romance books that take the reader on an emotional roller coaster full of mystery, suspense, and heartache.
As an extroverted introvert who doesn’t like to leave the house (because it requires wearing pants), Melissa enjoys playing strategic board games and taking long showers. When she does find the will to put pants on, she can be found traveling, enjoying bubble tea, or experiencing the world through food.
TL;DR I like to eat and write about heartbreaking shit.
Purchase books direct from Website
Willa Kay She/Her
Contemporary, Open Door, LGBTQIA+, Western/CowboyWriter of heartwarming small town contemporary romance. Born and raised in Canada, Willa is a Kentucky transplant and mom of two, married to her partner for 16 years. Loves love, and writing about it! She primarily focuses on fat heroines getting their HEAs! She loves dill pickle flavored everything, but doesn’t like pickles. Chocolate is life. Can’t live without caffeine and books. Willa's books blend small town swoon with delicious spice, and complex characters.
R. D. G. Lover She/Her
R. D. G. Lover is an artist, author, and freelancer. She has been published in F(r)iction Literary Magazine’s Dually Noted series as well as Amelia Island’s local newspaper, The News-Leader.
R. D. G. Lover owns a small business where she sells her original art and takes freelance work for website design, graphic design, custom paintings, and more. She spends her free time stargazing, singing loudly in her car, and working on her illustrated novels about the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. She has made it her goal to write and illustrate a novel in every genre.
Her website, www.4pocalypseArts.com, showcases a gallery of all-original art and writing from her stories. You can follow her on any social media @4pocalypseArts. To stay up to date with R. D. G. Lover’s future releases, be sure to subscribe to her newsletter on her website.
Purchase books on Website
Contemporary, Fantasy/Romantasy, Sci-Fi, “Cracked Door”
Delaine Walsh She/Her
Paranormal, Open Door, Dark/Morally GreyDelaine Walsh is a spicy romance author who writes stories with heat, heart, and a hint of darkness. Each book she writes heals a little part of her soul. Reading has always been an escape for her, and she hopes her stories provide that for others.
She currently lives in Northern Kentucky with her husband and three fur babies. When she's not home writing, she's scouring local bookstores for her next impulsive book purchase.
Purchase Books from Books2Read.com
Cozy DuBois They/Them
Contemporary, Open Door, Multicultural, LGBTQIA+Based in Minneapolis, Cozy Dubois (they/them) is a queer, trans, and neurodivergent author of queer adult romance, full of sweet and spicy happily-ever-afters for everyone under the LGBTQIA+ umbrella. They hope to bring more books into the world that represent the complex and entangled relationships between friends, lovers, and chosen family found in the queer community they love.
Purchase books direct from Website
Frederick Smith He/Him
Contemporary, Open Door, Closed Door, LGBTQIA+Frederick Smith Author Bio (primary)
Originally from Detroit, Frederick Smith is the author of six romance novels set in L.A. and San Francisco that feature Black LGBTQIA+ characters. His 2024 novel, One and Done, is described as a Black, Queer, Higher Ed, Bay Area romance. It was published on Bold Strokes Books. A higher education professional by day, Frederick does Student Affairs and Diversity & Inclusion work at San Francisco State University.
A product of Detroit Public Schools, Frederick has been a lifelong creative writer. Along the way, he earned an undergraduate degree in Journalism - TV News at the University of Missouri School of Journalism; master's degree in Higher Education at Loyola University Chicago; and a doctorate in Educational Leadership for Social Justice at Loyola Marymount University.
Fred is passionate about social justice, all things Beyonce, Black life, Queer life, romance novels, books in general, and people pursuing and completing their educational goals. His next novel, Love Is A Contact Sport, a Black, Queer, Second Chance, College Reunion, Male-Male romance novel, comes out in June 2026 -- June 16, 2026.
Purchase books at direct from Bold Strokes Books.
Stephanie Jayne She/Her
Stephanie Jayne loves to write relatable characters striving to make their mark on the world as they fall in love in the process. When not crafting quirky love stories, she's often found playing video games or fangirling over romance books with a book club. She lives in greater Chicago area with her multi-talented creative husband and two persistent cats.
She also writes sweet romcoms and young adult as Stephanie J. Scott.
Purchase books on Amazon
Contemporary, Closed Door
Monica J DeLoy She/Her
Fantasy/Romantasy, Open Door, LGBTQIA+, Sci-FiMonica’s background as a trained singer, coupled with bachelor’s degree in music, infuses her narratives with rich musical themes. She lives in the upper midwest, and draws inspiration for her settings from the northern, forest-clad climate. Beyond writing, she is a mother, wife, full-time worker, and choreographer.
Her work ranges from fantasy, romance, to sci-fi, and promises to sweep readers into an immersive world where love and magic intertwine.
Purchase Books from Website
Lo Everett She/Her
Contemporary, Open Door, Small townHi! I’m Lo, an avid reader and lover of contemporary romance with a dash of humor—just like the stories I write. My books are filled with characters who make you fall hard, along with equally captivating secondary characters to keep you hooked.
I sat down to write my first book because I was dying for more sports romance after devouring everything out there.
When I’m not writing, I’m cheering on my kids at their games, hiking with my girlfriends, or exploring new destinations on vacation.
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Khushi T. Saha She/Her
Contemporary, Open Door, MulticulturalBringing you interracial romances with tons of heat, passion, and a healthy infusion of love ... unapologetically Aunty unapproved and HEA an ALWAYS!
I'm a notorious daydreamer. Ask anyone close to me and they’ll tell you I'm a positive mushy person, too. Enter in ‘writing romance novels’: what began as self-care to overcome personal trauma, ended up evolving into something much more fulfilling. Bringing stories of angst, personal growth, and passion (the steamier the better!) with some snarky humor to romantics all around has become a hunger I can’t seem to satiate. In fact, once I'm done with a story, there’s already another one brewing. I'm also first-generation Bangladeshi—born and raised in the US—so my connection to the motherland is fierce, with sprinklings of a sense of loss in there. I include South Asian nuances/representation in my writing because I want experiences like my own to be seen (that of straddling two very strong cultures and finding one's identity).
When I'm not writing, I manage my local craft business and teach, garden in the spring and summer months, run around with my boys and puppy, and spend time with my hubby and family. I'm also obsessed with murder mystery shows and podcasts.
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O’Junea Brown She/Her
O'Junea Brown is an emerging author of Romantasy. A Fate of Onyx and Ivory is her first published novel with many more to come. She was born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago, Illinois.
She loves her books, comics, video games, sports (go Cubs!), and anything fitness related. O'Junea has a bit too much dark humor and somewhat of a sailor's mouth, but her husband loves her the way that she is and that's all that matters.
Her baby boy Phoenix and dog Khloe are her only babies.
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Contemporary, Fantasy/Romantasy, Dark Romantasy, Romantasy
Sam LaRose She/They
Contemporary, Fantasy/Romantasy, Open Door, Multicultural, LGBTQIA+, Sci-Fi
Mauve Murphy She/Her
Open Door, LGBTQIA+Mauve Murphy is a passionate storyteller whose debut romance novel invites readers to explore the complexities of love and connection. When she’s not crafting heartfelt narratives, you can find her sipping a lemon drop martini, at the winery with girlfriends or traveling to new destinations with her beloved family.
Mauve believes that every journey—both on the page and in life—holds the potential for unexpected romance. She currently resides in the upper Midwest, where she draws inspiration from the beauty of everyday moments.
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Danielle D’Maire She/Her
Fantasy/Romantasy, Open DoorDanielle D’Maire writes dark romance and romantasy, weaving stories where desire and danger are never far apart. Her debut novel, Queen of Blood, will release in 2026, introducing readers to a world of shadows, power, and forbidden passion.
When she’s not writing, Danielle can usually be found with a book in hand, sipping matcha, or planning her next creative adventure. A lifelong lover of fantasy, mythology, and romance, she brings all three together in her work, creating stories that balance lush worldbuilding with the raw intensity of human emotion.
Her writing explores the edges of love, power, and choice—inviting readers to step into realms where passion can be a weapon, and survival often means surrendering to the dark.
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Amy Nevills She/Her
Amy Nevills originally hails from the great flat state of Illinois. Most of her childhood was spent reading about more exotic locations and dreaming of adventures. During her time in the Illinois National Guard, she met her true love and has now celebrated nearly 30 years together. Together they have circled around the Midwest, living in Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, and most recently Minnesota. They share four children and two spirited granddaughters. When not spending time with her clan or escaping in a book, Amy enjoys traveling anywhere the wind might take her.
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Paranormal
Maggie Linn Sharpe She/Her
Contemporary, Open Door, Sports/Sports adjacent (baseball)Maggie Linn Sharpe has been creating worlds and characters in her mind for as long as she can remember. Because no career path felt quite right, despite her efforts, and motherhood limited her social time, she decided to try writing a romance novel. Now she's pretty sure she won't be able to stop.
Maggie lives outside of Columbus, Ohio, with her husband, her two boys, and her mother. When she's not writing, she's usually reading romance, obsessing about musicals, or spending time with her kiddos, which usually involves learning more than she wanted to know about Minecraft and watching Bluey on repeat.
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Amy Stephens She/Her
Contemporary, Open Door, Closed Door, Western/Cowboy, mountain man, firefighter, romcom, football, small townAmy Stephens is a 2X- USA Today and International Bestselling contemporary romance author. Born and raised in Alabama, she lives just minutes from the beautiful gulf coast beaches.
When she’s not busy writing, you’ll find her reading, going on cruises with her husband, or taking a road trip for a girl’s weekend getaway. She’s a huge sports fan, but she prefers watching the games at home where she can curl up on the couch with her feline fur babies.
Amy released her first book in 2014 and now has over twenty published works, from sweet and clean, rom-com, sports and firefighters, there's bound to be a hero for all of her readers.
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B.L. Brown She/Her
Paranormal, Fantasy/Romantasy, Open Door, LGBTQIA+B.L. Brown writes paranormal and urban fantasy romance about disaster witches making increasingly poor decisions, and the monsters in the wood. Her books are queer, sex-positive, and full of magic and mayhem. For her social media and direct links to books, visit www.brittawritesthings.com/socialslinks
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Danika Rose Lynn She/Her
Danika does more than write: she creates an escape from reality through the magic of fiction and art. Her Sweetbriar Romance Series showcases sweet-and-spicy love stories full of the kind of cozy, feel-good charm of a 90s/early-2000s dramedy. She crafts a magical and immersive experience that breathes life into the worlds she creates. Settings turn real. Characters become friends. Each and every story is a sensory celebration.
When not writing, Danika can be found drawing or painting, reading, cuddling her dogs (and sometimes her hubby), lost in a daydream, or having spirited debates with make-believe characters.
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Contemporary, Paranormal, Fantasy/Romantasy, Open Door, LGBTQIA+
Grayce Rian She/Her
Contemporary, Open Door, LGBTQIA+Grayce Rian is a contemporary romance author from the Midwest. Her stories perfectly combine spice, angst, and sweetness to make readers swoon. When she’s not writing about your new, favorite book boyfriend, you can find her with her high school sweetheart, chauffeuring their three kids to every activity imaginable, or with her nose buried in a book.
To get updates on Grayce's upcoming projects, connect with her on social media: @graycerianauthor.
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KL Hill She/Her
Paranormal, Erotic, Open Door, LGBTQIA+, DarkKL Hill is an author of adult dark and paranormal romance. Her stories are dark, steamy, and can occasionally be monstrous.
She lives in Indiana with her husband, two dogs, two cats, 13 chickens, and a coop full of racing pigeons. When she's not writing, she enjoys coaching swimming and driving her golf cart around her small town with her dog, Red.
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H.K. Green She/Her
Contemporary, Open Door, Western/CowboyH.K. Green is a contemporary romance author, based out of Montana, writing raw, emotional stories that will break your heart then put it back together.
Inspired by real-life, relatable challenges, her books feature found families, a healthy dose of sarcastic banter and emotional angst, strong female leads, and the men who’ll do anything to give them the world.
When she’s not writing, she can be found curling up with all kinds of books, hanging out with her rescue animals, going to rodeos or her family’s farm and ranch, and spending time with her real-life book boyfriend.
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Anastasia Wilder She/Her
Anastasia Wilder is a dark romance author whose passion for storytelling and reading began at a young age. With a love for dark romance, suspense, and romantasy, she weaves a unique blend of intensity and emotion into her stories. She is the author of Midnight Heatwave and Chasing Snowfall, part of a steamy small-town romantic suspense series that explores themes of love and redemption.
Anastasia lives in the Midwest with her husband and two fur babies. When not simping over morally grey men, wing leaders, guys with wings, or the villian, she enjoys skiing, traveling to new places, and swinging in her hammock with a cocktail in hand.
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Erotic, Open Door, Western/Cowboy, Romantic Suspense
C.L. Blossom She/Her
Contemporary, Erotic, Open Door, LGBTQIA+C.L. Blossom was born and raised in West Michigan. She holds a master’s degree in microbiology and works in a laboratory as a microbiologist. As an undergraduate, she majored in biology with a minor in creative writing, blending her love of science with her passion for storytelling.
Her queer romance anthology, Love in Claremont Shores, takes place in a fictional coastal town on Lake Michigan. Her debut novel, Singing Sands, releases December 9, 2025, followed by the second installment, Cherry Season, in June 2026.
C.L. Blossom loves writing emotionally charged, spicy romances that celebrate diversity in all its forms. Her stories feature characters of varied ethnic backgrounds, queer identities, and disability representation—always with the promise of a well-earned happy ending.
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Maria Rigou She/Her
Contemporary, Open Door, MulticulturalMaria Rigou is a US-based Latina romance author hailing from Argentina. She writes love stories full of longing, tenderness, and the exact amount of ache right before the HEA. She lives in South Florida with her husband and two daughters and loves to read.
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Mia Monroe She/Her
Contemporary, Paranormal, Open Door, LGBTQIA+Mia is a USA Today Bestselling author of queer contemporary and paranormal romance. She’s obsessed with HEA’s, tattoos, and all the ways to celebrate love.
She’s fluent in sarcasm, addicted to caffeine, and easily amused by memes.
Her books are low to mid-angst, high heat, and a celebration of queer joy.
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Quinn Rivers She/Her
Embrace the forbidden. I write contemporary dark, erotic, and dark romance that makes you crave more! Based in Chicago, I create stories based in the city I love and know the most. Being a long time reader of all genres I decided to focus on dark and taboo themes to explore my inner self and share it with others.
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Contemporary, Erotic, Open Door, Multicultural
Parker A. Garner She/Her
Paranormal, Fantasy/Romantasy, Open Door, DarkParker A. Garner is an author based in Tennessee, where she lives with her husband and their many beloved pets. A lifelong lover of storytelling, she has been writing for as long as she can remember and eventually followed her passion into publishing. When she's not crafting new stories, Parker enjoys traveling and immersing herself in different cultures, always seeking inspiration in the people and places she encounters.
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Nicole Banks She/Her
Contemporary, Erotic, Open Door, Multicultural, LGBTQIA+, Romantic Suspense, Dark romance Weaving tales that will seduce your mind and have you hanging off the edge of your seat.
I dabble in all writing genres but I'm a sucker for romantic suspense.
I'm a yogi, music snob, and love living life on my own terms. I really hate these “about me” sections.
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Miley Howard She/Her
Contemporary, Open Door, Darkish Romcom Miley Howard is a magical unicorn who resides in the mythical land known as the PNW with her daughter, husband, and depending on when you’re reading this, possibly still a hamster... She’s wanted to be a writer for as long as she can remember, but her stories stayed on random bits of paper, in cheap notebooks (never the nice ones collecting dust on the shelf), or in an app, if they were lucky enough to make it out of her head at all. Many were lost to the Great Void of “I’ll remember that later/in the morning/when I get out of the shower,” especially before smart phones were a thing. According to her husband, she drinks too much coffee, eats too much cheese, and owns too much stuff, but no one asked for his opinion, so screw that guy. Miley loves to read and write spicy stories with happy endings. Her list of book boyfriends is long. Her list of story ideas is longer. And her TBR is out of control. When creating a female main character, Miley often makes her sassy and gives her a best friend who is just as important as the love interest. And that love interest is tits over toes for her. Just as they should be.
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Sarah Zimm She/Her
Sarah Zimm is the Readers Favorite® Book Award-winning author of the Whispers of Dust & Darkness series. By the glow of the moon, she pens fantasy afire with magic, romance, and morally grey anti-heroes. When she's not writing, she's ever consumed with a good book, reheating tea, watching her husband jump around on stage with his guitar, and scrutinizing the shadows that lurk in the woods.
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Fantasy/Romantasy
Rowyn Adelaide She/Her
Fantasy/Romantasy, Open DoorRowyn Adelaide is an insatiable romance reader, advanced practice MSW social worker, and the author of the Fate of the Embered series. Her debut novel, Of Withering Dreams, launched the dark fantasy romance series with a haunting blend of passion and peril. Her work fuses atmospheric world-building with emotionally driven romance, often exploring themes of transformation, angst, and resilience. When she’s not writing or devouring stacks of romance novels, she’s usually globe-trotting, rocking out at concerts, counting down to spooky season, or singing karaoke (very poorly). She lives in the Midwest with her favorite creatures: her husband, their dog Audrey Shepburn (aka the goodest girl that ever lived), and their chaotic cat Stormy, who is equal parts villain and sidekick. For more information, visit www.AuthorRowynAdelaide.com.
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Nisha Sharma She/Her
Contemporary, Paranormal, Fantasy/Romantasy, Open Door, Multicultural, Young adult Nisha Sharma is the award-winning author of the YA and adult contemporary romance.
Her books appear on best of lists by The New York Times, Washington Post, NPR, Cosmopolitan, Teen Vogue, Buzzfeed, and more.
Nisha lives in Pennsylvania with her Alaskan husband, her baby girl, a cat Lizzie Bennett and her dogs Nancey Drew and Madeline. You can find her online at nisha-sharma.com or on Twitter, TikTok and Instagram at @nishawrites.
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MK Owens She/Her
Contemporary, Open Door, Multicultural, LGBTQIA+MK Owens is a New Adult and Adult Contemporary Romance author. A self-proclaimed hopeless romantic, she uses her writing to highlight women’s empowerment and female sexuality. With a bachelor’s degree in Molecular Genetics and Medical Technology, MK works as a healthcare worker during the day and dedicates her nights to pouring all her energies into her writing. MK loves to cook, dance, fall down the true-crime rabbit hole, and spend time with her faithful German Shepard, Basil.
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Elle Nestico She/Her
Elle Nestico is a published novelist of Speculative Romance and Women's Fiction. Her stories are character-driven and relatable, while philosophizing about life, love, and the metaphysical.
When Elle isn't ruminating from behind her computer, you can find her carpool karaoke-ing with her plethora of mortified children, chasing after her family's obstinate golden retriever, laughing with girlfriends over absurdly expensive coffee, or binging the latest streaming shows with her better half.
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Contemporary, Paranormal, Fantasy/Romantasy, Speculative
Contemporary, Closed Door, Historical, MulticulturalKat is a novelist and short story writer and loves to teach fiction. She writes in several genres including historical romance, contemporary family drama and romance, as well as speculative fiction. Kat is the creator of the Pencils&Lipstick podcast, a podcast for writers with author interviews, craft talk and insight into the publishing world.
In between conducting interviews for her podcast and writing, you can find Kat traveling the world, reading, or volunteering with her church—always with a cup of cold brew close by.
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Starr Z Davies She/Her
Fantasy/Romantasy, HistoricalSTARR Z. DAVIES is an accomplished author with nearly 20 published books and short stories. She has won awards for her work in dystopian, fantasy, and historical fiction genres. Known as the "Character Assassin," she fearlessly pushes her characters to their limits through emotional and physical turmoil. Residing in the picturesque northern Wisconsin with her husband, two children, and a collection of robotic pets, she balances her writing career with home improvement projects, swimming, video games, and voracious reading.
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Kat Caldwell She/Her
Riley Knight She/Her
Fantasy/Romantasy, Open DoorSince Riley was a child, she's ravenously consumed every fantasy book she could get her hands on. The passion transferred to a love for Dnd and becoming a forever DM, until she decided to share those stories with the world. Now she writes nearly all day while sparing the occasional hour to throw her dog's favorite lambchop.
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Amelie Rhys She/Her
Amelie Rhys is a romance author with a love for writing swoony stories packed with tension and heat. When she's not daydreaming about fictional characters, Amelie loves to travel new places (so she can write about them) and find new coffee shops and bookstores (so she can curl up and read in them). Amelie also likes spending time at the lake with her family. She lives in Minnesota with her husband and dog.
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Contemporary, Open Door
Closed Door, Historical, Multicultural, Romantic SuspenseDanielle Grandinetti is an award-winning author of 1930s historical romance, where mystery and suspense intertwine with hope. Her work has received recognition, including a Distinguished Faith in Writing Award, two National Excellence in Storytelling Awards, and finalist honors in the FHLCW Reader’s Choice, Selah, and Daphne du Maurier contests.
A second-generation Italian-American rooted in Midwest traditions, Danielle draws inspiration from tea, books, and the creative beauty of nature. Holding a master’s in communication and culture, and driven by a lifelong love of stories, she crafts tales that celebrate resilience, diversity, and belonging. Danielle lives along Wisconsin’s Lake Michigan shoreline with her husband and two sons. Find her online at daniellegrandinetti.com.
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Jade Waltz / Tera Nova She/Her
Fantasy/Romantasy, Erotic, Open Door, LGBTQIA+, Sci-Fi, Reverse Harem / Why Choose / PolyAm RomanceJade Waltz / Tera Nova is a passionate writer that delves into the enchanting worlds of fantasy and sci-fi romance. Specializing in creating happily-ever-afters for aliens, monsters and their human mates - where love knows no bounds - no matter the relationship.
Danielle Grandinetti She/Her
Izabela Kamila She/Her
Contemporary, Open Door, Romantic ComedyIzabela writes contemporary romance that will have you kicking your feet one moment and blushing the next. You can expect swoony heroes, sassy heroines, delicious tension, and witty banter.
She lives in the Midwest with her wonderful husband and two cuddly cats. When she's not writing, you'll find her reading romance, watching a romantic comedy, enjoying the outdoors, or spending time with her family.
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Kat Savage She/Her
USA Today bestselling author Kat Savage—also known as Mother, poet, professor of sarcasm, and lover of the em dash—brings to life swoon-worthy characters in her steamy contemporary rom coms that deliver the perfect amount of humor and heat for a heartfelt escape from reality.
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Contemporary, Open Door, Romcom, small town
Amy Cole She/Her
Open Door, Romantic SuspenseI'm an 80's baby who picked up my first romance book putzing around an antique store when I was 11 and I've been reading them ever since. Behind every romance writer lurks a devout reader...and that's me.
I married my high school sweetheart after dating for 10 years. Clearly, he's slow on decision making...yet it's working out so there's that redeeming factor. We have two sons, teenagers now, who know everything, just ask them. We also have two black labs, and are still heartbroken over losing our cat. We live back in the Midwest, and in the middle of our hometowns so that we can raise our kids around our families. We live where we swore we'd never move back to and regret nothing about breaking that vow.
I'm a small-town girl who was fortunate enough to travel domestically and internationally for years for work (and for fun). I love to be outside, and give me a campfire at the lake, a ski run down the face of a mountain or a beach sunset any day. I love them all. Equally, please ask me where to eat or what to do in cities across the U.S. and France and I will immediately produce a 10-page itinerary. I love food and I love people watching. There really is a story behind everyone, and the journalism kid in me wants to learn them all. Don't worry, I'll make up some details to add an element of romance or mystery to every story.
I love my family, my friends, dogs, books, love stories, traveling, Murder She Wrote re-runs, sports, history, trivia and food. I'm kind of a smart ass, which I like to say is better than a dumb ass. You want me on your trivia team and if you read my books, I'll happily be your friend forever, just like a lab if you give them one treat as a puppy.
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C.J. Tuma They/Them
Paranormal, Fantasy/Romantasy, Open Door, LGBTQIA+C.J. is a queer neurodivergent breaking out of their Midwestern nice shell to dig deep into the trauma and struggle that so many seek to explore within the safety of fiction. They fill their worlds with people you might recognize and struggles that you can see yourself in.
Their path to becoming an author began when their fifth-grade teacher read a bit of description they wrote to the whole class, and they've been writing ever since. Their early works centered around magic and destiny and romance, and honestly, not much has changed. Except now, the stories are a whole lot more queer.
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Parker A. Garner She/Her
Paranormal, Fantasy/Romantasy, Open Door, DarkParker A. Garner is an author based in Tennessee, where she lives with her husband and their many beloved pets. A lifelong lover of storytelling, she has been writing for as long as she can remember and eventually followed her passion into publishing. When she's not crafting new stories, Parker enjoys traveling and immersing herself in different cultures, always seeking inspiration in the people and places she encounters.
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K.R. Fryatt She/Her
K.R. Fryatt is a former opera singer who finally put her foot down in order to realize her childhood dream—becoming a published author. Now, she writes epic, swoon-worthy romantasy novels about complex characters finding their inner strength, experiencing radical self-acceptance, and meeting their true, fated love.
She resides in the mitten state with the real-life book boyfriend she married, their three amazing kids, and an aging Samoyed who's afraid of his own shadow. When she's not writing whatever her characters tell her to, you can find her cursing over crochet, learning how to let go and cry during movies, eating spicy food, and daydreaming about long, tropical vacations.
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Fantasy/Romantasy
Stef C.R. She/Her
Contemporary, Open Door, LGBTQIA+, Sports, Hockey, TennisProject leader by day, romance author by night, Stef C.R. lives in West Michigan with her husband and not one, not two, but three cats.
When she's not working or writing stories, she spends her time reading fantasy and romance, endlessly cheering on the Red Wings, Charles LeClerc, and listening to Noah Kahan.
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Morgan Kielisch She/Her
Fantasy/RomantasyA dreamer born into a world without dragons, monsters, and magic, Morgan has spent her life in the clouds.
From practicing sword fighting with sticks in the backyard, to mixing her own potions in the mud with various wildflowers, she’s always kept a little spark of her own magic alive.
With her fantasy romance series, The Astrellian Heirs, she hopes to introduce you to one of the many fantasy worlds she regularly dreams about.
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Dany Crooks She/Her
Contemporary, Fantasy/Romantasy, Open Door, LGBTQIA+Paranormal, Open Door, Historical, MulticulturalDany is an over-caffeinated adult romantasy author currently living in southwest Michigan with her husband and four fur babies. Revenge of the Forgotten is her first book. Whenever she's not stuck in a fictional world, she enjoys being outdoors, diving into books that make her cry, and belting songs anywhere she goes like it's her own concert. She's been writing for fun since the late 2000s and recently started writing professionally to show herself and others like her that they can do hard things!
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Megan Alexandria She/Her
Megan Alexandria writes Spicy Romance for Fantasy and RomComs lovers. Whether it’s werewolves, knights, or slow-burning, banter-filled love, her stories blend yearning and devastation with swoon-worthy payoff. If you like to work for your Happily Ever After, you’re in the right place.
When she’s not plotting heartbreak or ultimate declarations of eternal devotion, Megan’s brewing iced chai lattes in her office-turned-book trove, sparking creativity through her podcast and writer hub: Once Upon a Write, and making magic with her loyal pack of readers.
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Contemporary, Paranormal, Fantasy/Romantasy, Open Door, Historical, Multicultural, LGBTQIA+, Western/Cowboy, Sci-Fi
Kris K. Haines She/Her
Fantasy/Romantasy, Open DoorKris K. Haines is a romantic fantasy author and lover of all stories stabby, spicy, and swoony. Especially those featuring foul-mouthed, hot guys with wings. Kris has four goals when she writes a book: make you laugh, make you cry, turn you on, and blow your mind. A Jeopardy!® silver medalist and self-proclaimed adrenaline junkie, Kris can be found barreling down mountains in the winter and hugging the turns on her motorcycle in the summer. That is, when she doesn’t have her nose stuck in a book. She lives in Kenosha, Wisconsin with her husband and two sassy pugs.
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Jules Kyle She/Her - She/Her
Contemporary, Open Door, Romantic comedyJules Kyle is the combined pen name of two millennial women who became friends via the wild world of social media. Together they write the kinds of stories they love to read: spice-filled romances with plenty of heart.
Stephie (aka Jules) lives in Illinois with her husband, daughter, and menagerie of cats and dogs. When she’s not writing or reading, she can most often be found in her sewing room like the thirty-something grandma she is.
Khrystian (aka Kyle) lives wherever the US Navy tells her to with her husband, daughter, cat, and dog. She can most often be found with a Diet Coke in her hand and a NSFW audiobook playing in her earbuds.
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Ellie K. Drake She/Her
Contemporary, Open Door, Sports (hockey)Ellie K. Drake is an author, wife, and dog mom living in Wisconsin. When she's not busy writing her latest novel, she enjoys reading her favorite genres including romance, fantasy, and thrillers. Her debut novel, Ice Contact, kicks off the Milwaukee Steel Riders hockey romance series. Ellie has been making up stories her whole life, and finally decided to put one down on paper. Her stories are funny, swoon worthy, spicy, and always have a happy ending. Aside from her love for storytelling, she is also a musician, an avid baker, loves to volunteer for her favorite non-profits, and balances her creative pursuits with a full-time career in marketing.
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Amy True She/Her
After stints working in entertainment and advertising/PR, Amy True turned to chasing her one dream: writing fiction. She can often be found in her local writing spot sipping her favorite iced tea (with a touch of lemonade) and putting together playlists for her next books. When she’s not daydreaming about her next cinnamon roll hero, or writing award-winning historical fiction as Amy Trueblood, she’s traveling with her family, cooking, or desperately attacking her towering TBR pile. While she grew up only ten minutes from Disneyland, which inspired her love for storytelling, she now calls Arizona home.
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Contemporary, Open Door, Historical, Small-Town
Britton Ashley She/Her
Contemporary, Open Door, LGBTQIA+Britton Ashley (she/they) is an independent author, baseball mom, and Dr. Pepper lover. She tells stories that aren’t always at the forefront of society, including neurodivergent, queer, and chronically ill characters (like her). Britton has lived many lives, but this one, as an author, is her favorite.
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Cait Carlson She/Her
Open Door, Medical, Small-town, workplace, romcomCait Carlson was raised on the east coast but has called Minnesota home for the past decade. She has a master’s degree in social work and worked in the mental health field for twelve years before becoming a stay-at-home parent. When not writing, Cait enjoys reading, caffeinating, and spending time with her husband and three children.
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Jess Christine She/Her
Contemporary, Open Door, Rom Com, Magical RealismJess Christine is a speech therapist turned contemporary romance author who writes cotton candy smut: sweet, fluffy, and utterly irresistible. With low angst and high swoon, Jess crafts stories that feel like the perfect indulgence. Readers will quickly be lost in the warmth of unforgettable characters, light-hearted humor, delicious spice, and feel-good romance.
Jess resides in Georgia with her husband and two children. When she’s not writing, she enjoys binge-watching her favorite TV shows, spending time with her friends and family, and getting lost in love stories.
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Markelle Grabo She/Her
Markelle Grabo retells the fairy tales that frustrate her, which, based on that guideline, could include nearly all of them. She is the author of the YA gothic fantasy romance, The Redwood Bargain, and the YA cozy romantic fantasy, Call Forth a Fox. Markelle earned her master’s degree in creative writing from Hamline University and lives in the Greater Chicago Area with her husband and two very fluffy cats.
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Fantasy/Romantasy, Closed Door, LGBTQIA+, Fairy tale retellings, young adult, gothic fantasy, cozy fantasy
Farrah Jane She/Her
Contemporary, Open DoorFarrah Jane is a Midwest-born-and-bred author of smart & relatable small town romance, filled with swoon-worthy, complex heroes and the sassy, true-to-life heroines who capture their hearts.
Migrating from small town life to the Twin Cities, Minnesota, Farrah lives with her husband, son, daughter & two rescue pups.
A wily blend of introvert and people person, she loves bingeing on movies and making audacious future travel plans. Also known as a Malbec lover & the best brownie-baker in the world (do not argue).
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Emmeline Waters She/Her
Contemporary, Open Door, STEMEmmeline Waters lives in the Midwest with her husband, a legion of cats, and a pampered dog. Data diver by day, writer by night. She also spends as much time with her nieces as she can. She is an emerging author of contemporary romances. She has two series in the works.
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Maggie Hoopis She/Her
Paranormal, Fantasy/Romantasy, LGBTQIA+, Western/CowboyMaggie grew up with a strong love of reading. Her dream of writing has been fueled by the support and inspiration of fellow beta readers. She co-founded the Indie Romantasy Reads Book of the Month Club, which focuses on championing indie literature and fostering a deeper connection between readers and writers. She lives in Illinois with her husband, daughter, and Duck Tolling Retriever, who lovingly support her in her endeavors. You can follow her reading and writing antics on Instagram (@maggiehoopis.author), Threads (@maggiehoopis.author), and her website (maggiehoopis.com).
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M.J. Marino She/Her
M.J. Marino—the quirky romance author in the white glasses with a hankering for dirty jokes. M.J. writes steamy, instalust-to-love biker and mountain man romance novels with strong-willed females and OTT-protective males. She focuses on the love story, and adds plenty of spice, suspense, and comedy, bringing it all together with a happily-ever-after. M.J. lives in Waukesha with her family. Aside from writing, M.J. is often found reading a juicy romance, cursing up a storm as she rips weeds out of her garden, advocating in the community, chugging coffee to stay focused at her computer, or enjoying a bourbon—lots of bourbon.
For more info: www.mjmarinobooks.com
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Contemporary, Erotic, Open Door, Multicultural, Romantic Suspense
AS Adams She/Her
Contemporary, Erotic, Open Door, LGBTQIA+Hi I'm AS Adams, I'm a contemporary romance author who believe in extra spice, extra laughs, and a few extra love interests are crucial to great romance. And that fat babes belong in all romance books! I'm from Michigan, an elder-millennial mother of two. I write in my free time when not working at my corporate job. I've been a lover of romance since I used to sneak my mom's Nora Roberts books off her shelves. You can find me roaming the shelves at my local indie bookstore, doom scrolling, or singing 90's songs at karaoke night!
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Cleo White She/Her
Contemporary, Erotic, Open DoorCleo White's affinity for all things dramatic and hopelessly romantic began the day she was born, which happened to be in the middle of a record-breaking snowstorm on Valentine’s Day. Her love of literature came soon after, and she spent the better part of her childhood with both a book and a notebook full of unfinished stories in hand. Later in life, she found a love of writing spicy books with complicated characters and dysfunctional family drama. Cleo currently lives in Vermont with her husband and two daughters. When not writing, she can be found hiking, gardening, painting, and consuming excessive quantities of caffeine.
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Dakota Monroe She/Her
Paranormal, Fantasy/RomantasyDakota Monroe lives in a dark world and dreams of even darker fantasies. She has been a fantasy-obsessed reader since she was a child and now brings hers to life through her writing. As a neurodivergent woman, Dakota has always felt out of place with her thoughts and ideas; but books have been her savior, and a nonjudgmental place for her to escape the colorless world we call reality. She hopes her characters, and stories, provide an outlet for others, even if just for a little while.
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Ellysa Marin She/Her
Ellysa is a writer and reader of all things dark romantasy. Her books deal with real life issues disguised as fantastical and thoroughly enjoys ripping readers' hearts out before piecing them back together again. She lives in a place where the air hurts her face in the winter with her husband, incredibly independent child, and two just as unruly dogs.
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Fantasy/Romantasy, Open Door, Diverse; Dark
Dean Robert Holmes He/Him
Contemporary, Erotic, Open Door, LGBTQIA+Contemporary, Erotic, Open Door, LGBTQIA+Dean Robert Holmes (he/him) is an aegosexual, transmasculine author and artist who uses creativity to manage schizoaffective disorder. Like many alphabet porn purveyors, he got his start in the wonderful world of fan fiction. Through his saucy stories, he often explores psychological themes and the power of queer love. As someone who is autistic, fat, and disabled, he makes a point to represent those communities and possesses a strong belief in the healing potential of kink. After writing over 350 fan fics, including almost 200 requests, he self-published his first collection of short stories, “Unlocked: Seven Titillating Tales of Gay Trans Love and Lust,” which is available at the Booked Eau Claire Bookmobile. Currently, he lives on stolen Dakota/Anishinaabe land, also known as St. Paul, MN, and enjoys spending time with his lovely partner, Mae.
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Elizabeth Cole She/Her
Paranormal, Open Door, Historical, MulticulturalElizabeth Cole writes historical romance from the medieval era up to the Regency, and also writes contemporary paranormal when the need to use modern slang grows too strong. Her dream is to have everyone know her name and no one to know her face. Writing is a big part of that dream.
She adores tea, basketball, cheese, and cats, not necessarily in that order. She was born and raised in Wisconsin, but was kicked out for not drinking enough beer. She appealed the decision with her cheese consumption levels and is still a Sconnie in good standing. Learn more at elizabethcole.com
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Dana Storino She/Her
Contemporary, Closed Door, Romcom Dana Storino is a neurodiverse writer and paraeducator for Chicago Public Schools. Her experience working with a wide range of diverse learners inspired her to write for middle schoolers, focusing on accurate portrayals of school life while imparting valuable lessons. When she’s not busy writing, she spends her free time with her husband and three children, a spunky Dalmatian named Dolly, and Bean the cat. Her work has been featured on Wrytimes, Her View From Home, and ADDitude. You can read some of her personal experiences of living with ADHD on her blog Oh Look, A Squirrel.
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Dani Galliaro She/Her
Contemporary, Open Door, LGBTQIA+, Western/Cowboy, sportsFantasy/Romantasy, Open Door, Diverse; Dark
E. H. Lupton She/They
Fantasy/Romantasy, Historical, LGBTQIA+E. H. Lupton (she/they) lives in Madison, WI with her husband and children. Her debut novel, Dionysus in Wisconsin, was shortlisted for both the Lambda Literary Award and the Midwest Book Award. She is also the author of the novels Old Time Religion and Troth (Winnowing Fan Press, 2024), Lazarus, Home from the War (Winnowing Fan Press, 2025), and the novella The Joy of Fishes (Vagabondage, 2013). Her poems have been published in various journals, including Asimov's Science Fiction, Utopia Science Fiction, Paranoid Tree, and House of Zolo’s Journal of Speculative Literature. She is one half of the duo behind the hit podcast Ask a Medievalist. In her free time, she enjoys running long distances and painting.
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Dany Crooks She/Her
Contemporary, Fantasy/Romantasy, Open Door, LGBTQIA+Paranormal, Open Door, Historical, MulticulturalDany is an over-caffeinated adult romantasy author currently living in southwest Michigan with her husband and four fur babies. Revenge of the Forgotten is her first book. Whenever she's not stuck in a fictional world, she enjoys being outdoors, diving into books that make her cry, and belting songs anywhere she goes like it's her own concert. She's been writing for fun since the late 2000s and recently started writing professionally to show herself and others like her that they can do hard things!
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Elora Maxwel She/Her
Contemporary, Closed Door, Historical, Western/CowboyElora Maxwell is an independent historical romance author. She writes historical things, romantic things, fantastical things, and sometimes devastatingly sad things. When she’s not traveling through time, she likes visiting amusement parks, watching movies, and forcing everyone around her to listen to Taylor Swift.
You can find her on Instagram and TikTok @author_eloramaxwell
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