Hi, my name is...

[Kelly]

Jenn wrote: "It's a fun tale involving obsession with a video game character, much online chatting, and a suspicious U.S. border guard...we'll have to do a blog post!"

Oooh, plot bunny involving a suspicious border guard. Ready to make notes on yet another book, Jenn? :D

[Harlequin Books]

Hello and welcome! I have a feeling this is going to be a very good week for us fans of romance with so many wonderful authors stopping in to say hi. Good to see some representation from the Supers and ARs.

[Debbie]

Waving to all the fabulous new to me HQN authors :)

[Patty]

Hi everyone! My name is Patty Wiseman and I am excited to be invited to join this group. I love to read and write romance, more specifically historical romance. I was a financial admin assistant for 25 years. I've been retired for 3 years now, writing and enjoying life. I am married with two grown sons, a step daughter and 12 grandchildren. I love a good romance, the kind that take you away to another land, another time. I've read them for years, now I write them! Looking forward to meeting everyone!

[Ria]

Hi all, I'm Ria Prestia and like all of you, I love a good romance book and Harlequin offers so many! I've been reading romance for many years. I write under a pen name, and I only have one book out so far called Everlasting Essence, but I am currently writing a few more. I've been teaching writing, both creative and research-based, to 8th graders for 14 years. I created a website for my creative writing outlet.
I love a fairytale ending, and stories that make me cry.

[Tessa]

Kim, sorry for your losses. Take care of yourself...take time to grieve-- and to celebrate what was so special about those friends. And don't forget to be kind to yourself!

[Pamela]

Hi everyone! I'm Pamela Hearon--I write Harlequin Superromance. I love that line because I get to write about characters who seem like my friends and neighbors. I love romance. I've been married to my best friend for 29 years--2nd marriages for both of us. He made me a believer that happily-ever-after can be a reality.

[Tessa]

Hi Jenn, I remember Shadows...absolute classics. Like Silhouette Bombshell--love those books too!

Brenda, wonderful to see you here. I've been recently listening to some really motivational talks you've given at RWA (some are re-listens!).

For those of you who aren't aware, Brenda Novak organises an annual auction to raise funds for Diabetes. If you love reading (or writing!) romance, I can GUARANTEE you will find something special to bid for at the auction. I'll go look up the link and post it on this thread tomorrow.

Tessa

[Stacy]

Tessa wrote: "Hi, I'm Tessa Radley. I'm a long time reader and book lover.

Hi, Tessa! It's so nice to "see" you here. Hope you're doing well!

[Stacy]

Hi, everyone! My name is Stacy Boyd. I'm senior editor for Harlequin Desire and a romance lover since my pre-teen years. I started out with Historicals and also gobbled up Loveswepts and Harlequins from my local library. Now I read mostly contemporary, YA and new adult. One of my favorite romances of all time is Flowers from the Storm by Laura Kinsale. Such sensual tension, amazing characters and an HEA that made me cry!!

I'm also the mother of one, with another on the way! I live in Brooklyn, and when I'm not preparing for our new little one, I love to learn about current events, special education and local politics.

I'm looking forward to being a part of the group!

[Jeffe]

Hi everyone!

I'm Jeffe Kennedy. I write fantasy, fantasy romance and erotic romance. My most recent book for Harlequin, via Carina Press, was UNDER HIS TOUCH.

Looking forward to chatting!

[Harper]

Hi everyone! My name is Harper St. George and I'm a Harlequin Historical author. My first full-length comes out in April, "Enslaved by the Viking", but I have a couple of historical novella ebooks out with Harlequin as well.

I just moved to Florida's Emerald Coast with my husband and two young children (the oldest just started Kindergarten this year). I started reading romance novels probably way before I was old enough to read them ;) and immediately fell in love with historicals. I've always loved history.

I'm so excited there is a Harlequin Group on Goodreads to connect with other readers and authors.

[Stefanie]

Hi everyone, my name is Stefanie London and I write for Harlequin. I'm also an avid reader (as most authors are) and I adore romance, thrillers, mysteries, post-apocalyptic, YA and fantasy.

I'm an Aussie who's currently living in Toronto (and loving the snow! I know, crazy) and I'm married to a wonderful man who's encouraged me to follow my dream of being an author.

I read my first HQN/Mills & Boon book at age eleven, and I really wish I could remember which one it was. I snuck it from my mother's shelf and read it in secret. What a slipper slope!

Lovely to meet you all xx

[Georgie]

Hi everyone. I'm Georgie Lee and I write Regency romances for Harlequin Historical. I'm a history buff who is in love with England and British history. Georgie Lee

[[deleted user]]

What an amazing group this is!
My name is Jodi Anderson and I've been wonderfully addicted to Harlequin Romances since the mid-70's when I would devour my mom's stash. ;) They brought, and still bring, laughter, tears, sighs and always a happy ending. Now, I'm the author of four Harlequins to date (as Jodi Dawson) and still can't quite believe it! Harlequins have been a huge part of my life for over four decades and still counting. Happy Reading All!

[J.M. Jeffries]

Hi Kim. I received my newsletter a couple days ago with an invite to participate in Goodreads romance week.

I'm Miriam, one-half the writing team of J.M. Jeffries with Harlequin Kimani. My writer partner, Jackie and I have been writing together for nearly twenty years. The last seven with Harlequin. I'm happy to be here.

I first started reading Harlequin romances back in the mid 1960s (I was in high school and a voracious reader). I found myself enchanted by the idea of romance. I read everything I could get my hands on. I didn't start writing for another fifteen years. After that, I never looked back.

When I met Jackie in a critique group, I knew we would be a good fit as writing partners. She's funny and I'm the straight man, or woman. We had a friend once who told us we could be stand-up comediennes. But writing is a passion for both of us.

I was married for thirty-seven years before my husband lost his fight with cancer. I have two children and three grandchildren with the youngest only five months old. Jackie is unmarried and now my housemate. We work almost daily before she runs off to her night job. Currently, we're having a grand time plotting out our next series in our Torres family series. We're finishing the last book in the Passion's Gamble series.

[Kimberly]

Hi all! My name is Kimberly Belle, and I'm a MIRA author. My books don't fit neatly into one genre ~ they're women's fiction, suspense, romance and family saga all rolled into one. I read all those genres, too, as well as pretty much anything else you put in front of me. ;)

I love chatting with readers and other writers, so excited to be part of this group!

[Rula]

Hi everyone! My name is Rula Sinara and I write for Harlequin Heartwarming. For those who are unfamiliar, it's one of the newer lines that promises tender, wholesome and, of course, deeply romantic stories. I'm a nature/animal lover, so pets and wildlife usually find their way into my books:).

As for reading, I love all the Harlequin lines and authors and am excited to join this group!

[Harlequin Books]

Welcome to the group and I hope to see you all in here often. I am really enjoying getting to hear a bit about each of you and hope to learn bunches more. I'm thinking we will have some pretty interesting conversations with so many authors of different genres gathering together.

Yay for all of us!~ Kim

[Melinda]

Hi to all,
I'm Melinda Curtis and I write for Harlequin Heartwarming (used to write for Supers). I've been married 30 years to my college sweetheart. I have 3 kids in college. And as an empty-nester I adopted a puppy, which crimped Mr. Curtis' plans for some extended vacations. LOL!

I love the fluttery feeling of falling in love, the "rightness" of a happily ever after, and I'm particularly fond of romances with humorous or lighthearted elements, since I love to put that in my stories.

Glad to see an official Harlequin group on GR and looking forward to all the great discussions!

[Susan]

Hi, everyone. My name is Susan Mallery, and I'm a romance addict with no interest in a "cure." ;) I first started reading romance when I was in my teens. I was at a friend's house when I started reading one of her mom's books, and I couldn't believe how much it gripped my heart. I borrowed it (without asking), read it, returned it, borrowed another... it felt so wrong and soooo right! Then she told me that I could borrow as many books as I wanted. Turned out, she knew the whole time! :) My favorite line then was Harlequin Presents, which I still love, along with many other lines.

When I was in college, I decided to try writing a romance, and I never looked back. I can't imagine a more fulfilling career than writing love stories.

[Susan]

Does anyone else wish that Goodreads had a "like" button?! :D

[Debbie]

Susan wrote: "Does anyone else wish that Goodreads had a "like" button?! :D"

Hi Susan, waving madly ;) xo

[Harlequin Books]

Susan wrote: "Does anyone else wish that Goodreads had a "like" button?! :D"
I most definitely wish they had one!

I'm very happy you tried writning romance. I've had many hours of reading pleasure from your stories. I've shared them with my mom and her sisters. I've shared them with my sister. I talk about them whenever I can. I think your books are perfect for so many different kind of readers. I can't wait for the mailman to bring me my copy of The Girls of Mischief Bay. I had to have it in print format for my collection.

[Ashley]

Hi my name is Ashley. Romance was the first type of fiction I read beginning in high school. I don't know why romance draws me, but possibly it's because I believe in true love. I enjoy all genres of romance. I am currently in my last semester as an undergraduate in college, studying History in the hopes of becoming a secondary school history teacher. I also hope to become published someday. Even though I'm single, I know I will find love someday! Can't wait to chat with all of you!

[Harlequin Books]

Just a recap of all the wonderful authors who have stopped in here this week:
Susan Mallery, Brenda Novak, Stefanie London, Kimberly Belle, Pamela Hearon, Harper St. George, Georgie Lee, Jodi Dawson, Rula Sinara, Elisabeth Hobbes, Amanda Renee, Adite Banerjie, Reet Singh, Michelle Smart, Annie Burrows, Michelle Styles, Kelli Ireland, Wendy Douglas, Kris Rafferty, Carol Townend, Linda Thomas-Sundstrom, Susan Carlisle, Ann Lethbridge, Cathryn Parry, Leigh Duncan, Kristina Knight, Jean C. Gordon, Missy Tippens, Janet Dean, Lyn Cote, J.M. Jeffries Co-authors, Miriam stop by here), Kelly Jensen and Jen Burke co-authors, Jenny Schwartz, Jeffe Kennedy and Senior Editor for Harlequin Desire, Stacy Boyd.

Be sure to welcome them to the group.

[Susan]

Debbie wrote: "Susan wrote: "Does anyone else wish that Goodreads had a "like" button?! :D"

Hi Susan, waving madly ;) xo"

Hi, Debbie! Waving madly back. ;)

[Susan]

Harlequin Books wrote: "Susan wrote: "Does anyone else wish that Goodreads had a "like" button?! :D"
I most definitely wish they had one!

I'm very happy you tried writning romance. I've had many hours of reading pleasur..."

Thank you, Kim. That's so nice of you to say! I'm excited for the release of The Girls of Mischief Bay, too. Less than two weeks now! (...annnnnnnd the nerves just kicked in.)

[Lil]

Harlequin Books wrote: "Just a recap of all the wonderful authors who have stopped in here this week:
Susan Mallery, Brenda Novak, Stefanie London, [author:Kimberly Belle|7778..."


Wow, look at all the authors! I love authors, they make me so happy!

[Tessa]

Stacy, lovely to see you too :::waving madly:::

Wonderful news about your next one on the way--that such a special time.

And I'm so glad you became a romance editor :)

[Tessa]

Like Susan, I wish there were LIKE buttons. I keep looking for one :)

Susan, like Kim I'm SO glad you decided to write romance--you've given me lots of happy hours!

[Nan]

Hi Kim and group members!
I'm Nan Dixon, a new SuperRomance author. My debut, SOUTHERN COMFORTS just launched Dec 2014.
I love reading romance because they are books you just can not put down!
IM hoping this isn't a duplicate post - somehow the first didn't post)

[Sharon]

Hi Kim, I'm Sharon,I'll be 49 next month, and I love to read,especially romances. I have been married to my wonderful husband for 5 years now, but this is our second time married to each other! Originally, we were married back in 1992,for 8 years, but divorced, then remarried in 2010! How's that for romantic? I am currently going through treatment for breast cancer, I was diagnosed last May,had my left breast and 11 lymph nodes removed. I just finished chemo not quite two weeks ago, and after a short break, will begin radiation. It hasn't been fun, but I have a wonderful family and friends who have helped me stay strong through it all. Also, praying and reading has helped me tremendously, I don't know what I'd do if I couldn't read! I really read almost anything, but have always loved romances, they allow me to escape, dream about being in another place or time, and when I read a well- written book, I can envision where a character is, sounds, smells, colors, etc. Reading is my therapy,and it is my passion, I can't imagine my life without my books.

[Sonya]

Sharon wrote: "Hi Kim, I'm Sharon,I'll be 49 next month, and I love to read,especially romances. I have been married to my wonderful husband for 5 years now, but this is our second time married to each other! Ori..."

Sharon - my absolute favourite romance trope is the reunion romance, so I love stories like yours!

I hope everything goes well with your treatment. My aunt just had her right breast removed a few days ago, but she did it after she was declared cancer free.

[Siobhon]

Hi Everyone,
I'm Siobhon. I've been a Harlequin addict ever since I found a copy of Yesterday's Island on my parents bookshelf. It was the first proper romance and Harlequin I read. That one book changed everything.
Now I'm an unashamed reader of romance when I'm not too busy scribbling away or looking after my 2.5 year old twin boys.

[Debbie]

Hi to all the new, some familiar faces.

And congrats to the debut HQN authors!!! Woot!

[Myra]

Hi everyone,

I am Myra, and been an avid reader of Harlequin since I was old enough to read romance (if not mistaken age around 14-15) but I have loved to read since a very young age, thanks to my late grandparents and own parents who taught me and my brother to watch Sesame Street without any subtitles or dubbing to learn English.

I still have my very first Harlequin novel, bought in a small bookstore in my hometown, Jakarta - Indonesia (usually comes from Harlequin Australia and New Zealand) with a plastic cover all over it, so cannot open it to read a glimpse with my own pocket money. The title is Val Daniels' "Forever is Not Enough" and I still keep it until now.

Since then, every time I go to the bookstore, I always ran to the romance section, no matter a bookstore in Singapore, Washington DC, a small supermarket somewhere between Philadelphia and DC to London, England to Toronto (where I lived now since 2000).

So glad to find this discussion group!

[Adite]

Harlequin Books wrote: "Just a recap of all the wonderful authors who have stopped in here this week:
Susan Mallery, Brenda Novak, Stefanie London, [author:Kimberly Belle|7778..."

Thank you for the warm welcome. Feel so privileged to be among so many awesome authors and wonderful readers! <3

[Adite]

Rich wrote: "Hi everyone! :) So great to be here—thanks for the invite. My name is Rich Amooi and I wrote romantic comedies. I am obsessed with them! It started back in the 80s when I saw the movie When Harry M..."

Hello Rich, I love rom-coms. Do you write Harlequin romances too? I am intrigued. :)

[Harlequin Books]

Hi Sharon, cancer sucks! I know many survivors, most in my family. Actually, in January, I donated my hair to Locks of Love in honor of their fight. I wanted to share that I also used reading as my escape, not during a battle with cancer but when I was disabled in a car accident. It took 3 months to get home from the hospital but it took me even longer to get over the changes in my life. I truly believe that reading romance saved my sanitity.

Siobhon, with twin boys, I'm amazed you find any time to read.

Myra, I've always wanted to travel the world. I'd love to hear some of your stories.

[Harlequin Books]

Nope Nan, you didn't double post. Congratulations on the first book!

[J.M. Jeffries]

Thank you for the lovely welcome.

I read romance because it reminds me of what falling in love is all about. And each new story lets me fall in love all over again.

[Susan]

Hello, I'm Susan, 52 from Spokane Valley WA. I have three kids 28, 13 and 9.......you do the math! Lol my husband Brian and I have been married for almost ten years and I'm a SAHM. I read all types of genres but romance holds a special place in my heart. I'm also a review over at Fresh Fiction.

I would like to thank Kim for inviting me to this awesome group! I have a feeling my TBR mountain is going to explode!

[Shona]

Hi, I'm Shona Husk. I wrote some weird west fantasy romances for Carina and I have a contemporary NA series starting with Escape in April which is super exciting (keep an eye out for Out of Rhythm)! I also write paranormal romance :)

My favorite line to read is Blaze.

[Donnajo]

Welcome to everyone who I haven't said hi too. I should check in here more often.

[Harlequin Books]

I have to say that I have loved reading the Why Romance? answers this week. It has really brought home to me why I love and support the genre so much.

I don't want this week to end!

[Nan]

Harlequin Books wrote: "Nope Nan, you didn't double post. Congratulations on the first book!"

Thanks!

[Samantha]

I'm an empty nester, too. Miss my kiddos, but love the extra reading time. :-)
Samantha Ann King

[Harlequin Books]

I am so not ready to become an empty nester. My daughter is only 16 but she has colleges contacting her about coming for weekend visit to their campuses. Really brings home how little time I have left with her under my wing.

[Christine]

Hi Kim--and everyone! Such great intros. I'm Christine Rimmer, a longtime Harlequin author. Happy Valentine's Day, everyone. XOXO!