NOLA STARs

 
 
EDITORS, AGENTS & BOOKSELLER
 
Laura Bradford
 
Laura Bradford has fifteen years of professional experience as a literary agent, editor, writer and bookseller. Laura began her career as a literary agent at Manus and Associates Literary Agency and formed Bradford Literary Agency in 2001. She considers herself an editorial-focused agent and takes a hands-on approach to developing proposals and manuscripts with her authors for the most appropriate markets.
 
The mission of Bradford Literary Agency is to form true partnerships with their clients and build long-term relationships that extend from writing the first draft through the length of the author’s career. Her recent sales include books placed with Berkley, Grand Central, Harlequin/Silhouette, Kensington, Spice Books, Pocket, Virgin Books, Avon, Dorchester, Hyperion, NAL, Eos, Macmillan and Mira Books. 
 
She continues to actively build her client list and is currently seeking work in the following genres: Romance (historical, romantic suspense, paranormal, category, contemporary, erotic), urban fantasy, women’s fiction, mystery, thrillers and young adult as well as some select non-fiction. 
 
 
 
 
 
Terry Burns
 
Terry has been with the Hartline agency for the last three years and has a substantial list of clients, a growing list of credits, and a reputation for presenting to conferences all over the country. He’s listed as number three on the Publisher’s Marketplace list of agents helping debut authors to publish.
Before coming with the agency, he represented businesses as a chamber of commerce executive for more than twenty-five years, making deals and doing promotion. He came from a writing background where he has over 30 books in print, including work in a dozen short story collections and four non-fiction books plus numerous articles and short stories.
A graduate of West Texas State he did post graduate work at Southern Methodist University. Terry plans to continue writing inspirational fiction as well as working with Hartline. He tries to run a paperless office so he doesn't take hard copy submissions. 
  
 
 
 
Elizabeth Hadwin
 
Elizabeth Hadwin has been reading romance since she was ten years old. Despite spending the next seven years of her life with a book hidden in her lap, she managed to graduate from CaddoMagnetHigh School and go on to LouisianaStateUniversity. It took only one year of teaching, however, to teach her that she doesn’t have the saint-worthy patience required of teachers. Luckily, she's had 11 years working with Barnes and Noble to put that realization behind her. She currently serves as Barnes & Nobles’ CRM for the Shreveport area.  Her favorite sections in the store are young readers/teens and, of course, romance.

 
 
 
 
Melissa Jeglinski
 
 
 
(Bio coming soon)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Beth Miller
 
Beth Miller has been Robin Rue’s assistant at Writers House since 2007.  She has the pleasure of working with Lisa Jackson, Linda Howard, Karen Rose, JoAnn Ross, Jacquelyn Frank, Kresley Cole, Holly Lisle, Lynn Viehl, Lora Leigh, Sylvia Day, Virginia Kantra, Pamela Palmer, VC Andrews, William W. Johnstone, James Swain, David Rosenfelt, Garret Freymann-Weyr, and Elizabeth Scott, just to name a few.  In her other life, she was a DNA sequencing technician at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory on Long Island.  She much prefers books to E. coli, and enjoys scuba diving and road trips in her spare time.
 
 
 
 

Wanda Ottewell
 Wanda Ottewell has been with Harlequin Enterprises for more than nine years. During that time she has acquired for many of the company’s series programs. Now as Senior Editor for Harlequin Superromance she focuses her attention on finding those emotional, heartwarming stories readers want. 
 
 
 
   
 
 
Laurie Rauch
 
Laurie M. Rauch is the new Executive Editor at Samhain Publishing, Ltd. She joined Samhain as an editor in 2006, where she’s found that stories about people falling in love are a lot more fun than profit reports and server installation manuals. She loves stories that make her laugh or make her cry, but most of all make her sigh at the end and know that two people who were meant to be have found their  happily ever after.

Late one night, as she was standing on a twelve-foot ladder and holding onto a ten-thousand-dollar light, Laurie realized that a BFA in theatre was not her life’s path. Never one to quit, she finished her degree. But, knowing that her heart and soul was in the written word, and with the help of a book about careers for bookworms, she then completed a diploma in Book and Magazine Publishing.

Laurie is passionate about good, and grammatically correct, writing. In fact, she’s known for her motto: Fighting bad grammar one misplaced modifier at a time.  As the executive editor, Laurie’s main focus is on publication standards, house style and developing and motivating the editing
staff. She’s looking forward to working with Samhain’s many talented authors and editors.

A pop-culture junkie, Internet addict and self-proclaimed geek, Laurie lives in Canada with her guy and their wiener dog, Oscar. She's been known to blog, infrequently, at The Rauch Motel (http://www.therauchmotel.com). 
 
 
 
Jessica Sebor

 (Bio coming soon)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 WORKSHOP PRESENTERS
 
Sarah H. Baker 
Sarah H. Baker—engineer by day and fiction writer by night, weekend, and federal holiday—grew up in New Orleans.  She has lived all over the country from Alaska to Georgia, but seems to have sprouted roots in New Mexico.  Author of more than fifteen novels and numerous novellas, Sarah writes romance as Sarah Storme, mystery as S. H. Baker, and the really hot stuff as Lydia Parks.  Her most recent releases include Devour Me by Lydia Parks, The Not-So-High Seas by S. H. Baker, and Carved in Stone by Sarah Storme.  She even appeared in the movie Paper Heart, playing herself.  Visit Sarah's websites, www.SarahStorme.com, www.LydiaParks.com, and www.SHBaker.com, for information on her books and upcoming events
 
 
Kathleen Baldwin                  
 
Kathleen Baldwin graduated with a BA in Art and Design, and has a minor in psychology. She also had enough credits to graduate in education with teaching minors in History and English. Kat loved college and would still be there if it weren’t for the siren call of money. In college she was privileged to participate in groundbreaking studies exploring the creative process and how the creative mind operates.
For several years she worked with emotionally disturbed teens using art therapy. Kathleen now lives in Texas with her heroic husband of twenty-eight years and their four, mostly grown, children.  She’s the author of four Regency romantic comedies published by Kensington and is currently writing Young Adult Fantasy Romance.
 

Sandy Blair                  
Award-winning author Sandy Blair has slept in castles, dined with peerage, floated down Venetian canals, explored the great pyramids, lost her husband in an Egyptian ruin (she still denies being the one lost,) and fallen (gracefully) off a cruise ship. 
Winner of  RWA’s © Golden Heart and the National Readers Choice Award for Best Paranormal Romance, the Write Touch Readers Award for Best Historical, the Golden Quill and Barclay awards for Best Novella, nominated for a 2005 RITA and recipient of Romantic Times BOOKReview’s 4 ½ star Top Pick and K.I.S.S. ratings, Sandy loves writing about Scotland’s past.
When not writing, Sandy serves on DARA’s Board and fundraises for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and Habitat for Humanity.
 
Beth Cornelison
  

Three-time Golden Heart finalist, Beth Cornelison received her degree in Public Relations from the University of Georgia. She debuted with Silhouette Intimate Moments in April 2005 and her June 2006 release, IN PROTECTIVE CUSTODY, won the Golden Heart in 2001. In September 2006, she made her hard cover debut with Five Star Expressions with CHASING A DREAM. Beth has served as the conference coordinator and contest coordinator for her local RWA chapter and has presented workshops to numerous conferences across the country. Mrs. Cornelison lives in Louisiana with her husband and son.
 
 
Connie Cox                    
 
Connie Cox is a 2007 Golden Heart finalist and saw her first book, Taking Flight, in print in 2008.  Her hardcover debut book experienced a sale-through of over 66% in the first four months of release, a phenomenon that CRM Elizabeth Hadwin attributes to Connie’s promotional efforts in conjunction with  booksellers.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Kaye Dacus   
        
Kaye Dacus is an author and editor who has been writing fiction for more than twenty years. Pursuing her passion for writing, she earned a Master of Arts in Writing Popular Fiction from SetonHillUniversity. She is a former Vice President and long-time member of American Christian Fiction Writers, and currently serves as President of Middle Tennessee Christian Writers. She is also a member of RWA and the FHL chapter. Kaye is a Louisiana native who now lives in Nashville, Tennessee, and writes contemporary and historical romances.
 
 
 
 
 
Allen Davis III
        
Allen Davis III is an honor graduate from Syracuse University, and holds an MFA from the Yale School of Drama. His plays have been performed at The Puerto Rican Traveling Theater. The HB Playwrights Foundation, The New Dramatists, Theater at St. Clements in New York City, The Milwaukee Repertory Theater, and other theaters. Two of his plays for children are published by Samuel French, Inc.
 
In addition, Mr Davis is a former Administrator for The Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre. General Manager of Playhouse in the Park, Cincinnati, Ohio, and The Santa Fe Theater Company in New Mexico. He has received literary grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, and a CAPS grant from New York State. He has been a fellow at several art colonies including The Blue Mountain Center, The MacDowell Colony, Ragdale, Viriginia Center for the Creative Arts, The Helene Wurlitzer Foundation, and Yaddo. His one-act plays have been produced by Around the Block, a group he helped fournd, for the New York Public Libraries.
 
Mr, Davis received a Lifetime Achievement Award from The Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors(HOLA) and in 2005 won the TADA! Youth Theater One-Act Play Award. As a director he has worked Off and Off-Off Broadway. He was a Founder of The Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of the Americas, and its first treasurer. Mr. Davis is an alumnus of The New Dramatists, and the United States Marine Corp. Just call him sarge.
 

 
Robyn DeHart         
A life-long lover of stories and adventure, it was either become a stuntwoman for the movies or live out those adventures from the safety of her PJ’s and computer. Robyn DeHart chose the latter and couldn’t be happier for doing so. Known for her unique plotlines and authentic characters, Robyn is a favorite among readers and reviewers. Publishers' Weekly claims her writing to be "comical and sexy" while the Chicago Tribune dubs her "wonderfully entertaining." A two-time Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice award nominee, Robyn has earned 4 star and 4 ½ star top pick reviews on all her books and Kathe Robin says, "Like Amanda Quick, DeHart [will] keep you up all night."
A self-proclaimed movie junkie, Robyn knows more worthless entertainment trivia than anyone has a right to – in fact she’s the reigning champion of name-that-voice-over-on-that-commercial game, which incidentally she plays alone. She lives outside of Austin with her brainy husband and two very spoiled cats.
 
Tracy Garrett            
       
Award-winning author Tracy Garrett has always loved to disappear into the worlds created within the pages of a book. An accomplished musician, Tracy merged her need for creativity and her passion for reading when she began writing romance.  An active member of Romance Writers of America and Dallas Area Romance Authors, Tracy lives in Missouri with her husband of twenty-eight years.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Tina Gerow   
        
Tina Gerow has always had a passion for romance and anything paranormal.  And even in school, was encouraged to put her writing skills to good use, but always with the admonishment to ‘stop writing the weird stuff and tone down the sarcasm.’  But what fun is that?!  So, in 2003, she finally decided to try her hand at writing a novel, but still firmly embracing the ‘weird stuff and the sarcasm.’  Her first book, Into a Dangerous Mind, won the award for Romantic Times Best Small Press Contemporary Paranormal for 2006.  
  
Since then, Tina has published several more books, including the popular Maiden series, the Seduction Series for Kensington’s Aphrodisia line as Cassie Ryan, and has an upcoming series with Berkley, also as Cassie Ryan.   
 
Tina, an Arizona State University alumnus, belongs to the Romance Writers of America, and is a past president of the local Valley of the Sun Romance Writers Chapter and an active member of the local Desert Rose chapter.  She’s an active speaker on several subjects including promotions, character creation, goals & motivation and more. 
 
Tina lives in Arizona with her husband Jon, her son Darian and two orange tabby cats.  When Tina isn’t spending time with her family, she’s usually writing, or at some various and sundry writer’s conference, workshop or meeting.
 
  

 
Winnie Griggs    

 Louisiana native Winnie Griggs leads a very busy, fulfilling life.  In addition to writing historical romance novels for Dorchester Publishing and Steeple Hill’s Love Inspired Historical line, she's also a utility industry professional, the mother of four, and a board or committee member for several writers’ organizations.  She's an active member of her church and speaks regularly at regional and national writers’ conferences throughout the country. 

Winnie loves hearing from readers - you can e-mail her at winnie@winniegriggs.com.  And be sure to visit her website www.winniegriggs.com for information on her latest releases and appearances.       

Tessa McDermid
 
 

 
 
Tessa McDermid has published seven romance novels, two with Harlequin and five with Avalon Books and am working on another proposal for Harlequin. In addition, she likes to write shorter pieces while waiting to hear about an upcoming book or proposal. She's published an educational resource text and more than 200 short pieces with magazines such as Instructor, Learning, Teaching Today, Bride’s, Woman’s World, area Wedding Extravaganza magazines, children’s devotional/church school resources and the confession market. Until recently she taught elementary school, which included sponsoring an after-school Young Writers Club, and she was also an Instructor with the Institute of Children’s Literature.
 
 
 
Susan Meier
  
Susan Meier is the author of 40 books for Harlequin and Silhouette and one of Guideposts' Grace Chapel Inn series books, The Kindness of Strangers. Her books have been finalists for Reviewers Choice Awards, National Reader's Choice Awards and Cataromance.com Reviewer's Choice Awards and nominated for Romantic Times awards. Last year’s HER BABY’S FIRST CHRISTMAS took first place in the sweet contemporary category in the More Than Magic Contest.
 Susan loves to teach as much as she loves to write. Can This Manuscript Be Saved? and Journey Steps, Taking the Train to Somewhere! are her most requested workshops. Her article “How to Write a Category Romance” appeared in 2003 Writer’s Digest Novel and Short Story Markets.  Susan also gives online workshops for various groups and her articles regularly appear in RWA chapter newsletters.
 
  
 
Terry Odell
 
Terry Odell was born in Los Angeles and now makes her home in Orlando, Florida. An avid reader (her parents tell everyone they had to move from their first home because she finished the local library), she always wanted to "fix" stories so the characters did what she wanted, in books, television, and the movies. Once she began writing, she found this wasn't always possible, as evidenced when the mystery she intended to write rapidly became a romance.
 
When she's not writing, she's reading. She also volunteers for the Adult Literacy League in Orlando, training new tutors. She used to do a lot of needlepoint, but ran out of wall space in the house. Terry is a member of Romance Writers of America, as well as the Kiss of Death Chapter and the Central Florida Romance Writers chapter. She also belongs to the Mystery Writers of America. Her contest successes include the Suzannah, Gotcha, Jasmine, Molly, Great Beginnings, Finally a Bride, The Lories, The Gayle Wilson Award Of Excellence, Aspen Gold, and the Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense.
 

 
 
Sara Reyes
 
Sara Reyes has an Executive MBA from SMU Cox School of Business. Her career includes stints at AMR Corporation (American Airlines) as Marketing Manager and several Fortune 50 energy companies. Happily married with two children, two requisite dogs and some fish, she lives in Plano, Texas where she does what she loves best -- read voraciously, "play on the computer," and introduce readers to new authors and great books.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Colleen Thompson 

After writing seven American-set historical romances for Kensington, Colleen Thompson's first contemporary,  FATAL ERROR, was selected as the launch book for Dorchester's new line of romantic suspense. Twice nominated for the Rita for Best Romantic Suspense, Colleen has also been honored with the Texas Gold award, multiple Romantic Times Top Picks and KISS awards, and nominations for RT Reviewers Choice, Daphne du Maurier, and Dorothy Parker Awards of Excellence, along with a starred review from Publisher's Weekly. Planned 2010 releases include A TOUCH OF EVIL (Lovespell, March) and "Lethal Lessons" in a special DEADLIER THAN THE MALE Silhouette Romantic Suspense Two in One Edition (November), where she will be paired with New York Times bestselling author Sharon Sala. A former teacher, Colleen lives in the Houston area with her firefighter husband, college student son, and the worst-behaved rescue mutts in Eastern Texas. FMI, please stop by her website at www.colleen-thompson.com or her writers' blog at www.boxingoctopus.blogspot.com..
 
 
Lori Wilde         
 
Lori Wilde has sold fifty-two novels to four major New York Publishing houses. She is an instructor for a company who provides online community education to over 1500 colleges and universities. Lori is a past RITA finalist and has four times been nominated for Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice Award. She’s won the Colorado Award of Excellence, the Wisconsin Write Touch Award, The Lories, The More Than Maggie, the Golden Quill and The BestBooks of 2006 Book Award.
 
Her books have been translated into 22 languages and excerpted in Cosmopolitan, Redbook, Complete Woman and Quick and Simple magazines. She’s appeared numerous times on the Waldenbook’s bestseller list and Ingram’s Top 50.
 
She holds a bachelors degree in nursing from Texas Christian University and a certificate in forensics. She volunteers as a sexual assault first responder for Freedom House, a shelter for battered women. She has also served as the RWA National conference workshop chair and PAN retreat chair. She lives in Texas with her husband, Bill.
 
 

Gina Wilkins
 
Gina Wilkins sold her first book to Harlequin in 1986 and has been writing full-time ever since. The bestselling author has written more than 90 books for Harlequin and Silhouette, and is published in 100 countries and 20 languages. She is a four-time winner of the Maggie Award for Excellence from Georgia Romance Writers and has won several awards from the reviewers of Romantic Times Magazine, including a 2004 nomination for a Lifetime Achievement Award. (see website at ginawilkins.com  for further information).