Meet Our Authors:

The Mid-Michigan Chapter of Romance Writers of America is pleased to count over two dozen published authors--our webmaster has lost count--and one cover artist among our membership! Among them, they've sold enough books to stock a small library, mostly category and historical romances, but also mysteries, young adult books, short stories, articles, and screen plays. We have broken them out into three pages. You can look for a particular favorite, or browse through page by page! (Several of our authors have multiple pen names, so we've listed them alphabetically under their actual identities.)

       ROSANNE BITTNER has been writing since 1979, with over 50 novels published to date. All of her books involve fictitious characters involved in real American history, especially about the Old West of the 1800's. She has won several awards and is a member of Western Writers of America, Romance Writers of America^®, Women Writing the West, Oregon-California Trails Association, Mid-Michigan RWA and several historical societies. She travels often for research and to conduct writing workshops and speak for libraries. She and her husband live in southwest Michigan and have two grown sons, three grandsons and four step-grandchildren.

        Rosanne's first inspirational, WHERE HEAVEN BEGINS, was awarded second place forthe prestigious WILLA literary award presented by Women Writing the West, and her publisher has announced that it will be reissued in March 2007!

       Rosanne has also started a professional manuscript editing and critiquing service especially for unpublished authors. She is offering two services: critiquing the first 5 chapters and synopsis and advising on manusript completion (or helping with a synopsis if necessary) and critiquing and editing a completed manuscript. She will also conduct writers' workshops. Her fees are much lower than those of most free-lance editors, and the clients who have taken advantage of her services are very satisfied! Please see: The Writer in YOU for details.

       Visit Rosanne's extensive web site at http://www.rosannebittner.com for more photos, background, an entire list of her books, and covers and info about her upcoming releases--as well as a few surprises! There is also a form there so that you can email her.

       JACKIE BRAUN , a.k.a JACKIE BRAUN FRIDLINE: received our most coveted Christmas gift in 1999, her first sale! ONE FIANCEE TO GO, PLEASE was published by Silhouette Romance in October, 2000, under her maiden name, Jackie Braun. It was a sewinner in the Sooner Area Romance Author's Rising Star Contest in the traditional category!

       Jackie's second Silhouette Romance, TRUE LOVE, INC., was a finalist for both a Rita Award and a National Readers' Choice Award, traditional category, in 2003. She switched to Harlequin Romance with her third book, HER STAND-IN GROOM, a July 2004 release.

       Jackie has always enjoyed making up stories, and from elementary school on, she dreamed of getting paid to do it. That didn't stop her, however, from following her father's sage advice to get a "real" job in the interim. She earned a journalism degree from Central Michigan University in 1987, and has worked at such publications as Good Housekeeping magazine, The Grand Rapids Press, The Niagara Gazette and The Flint Journal. Jackie is proud to have won several awards for her editorial writing, but she has never forgotten her first love: fiction.

       In January of 2004, Jackie quit her day job at The Flint Journal, where she had worked as a copy editor and award-winning editorial writer for 15 years, to follow her dream and write fiction full time. She has been happily married to her husband Mark since 1993 and is the mother of a son, Daniel.

       Read a "Between the Covers" interview with Jackie and her article, "To Persevere...Is To Publish!" on our Newsletter Articles page!

     For more information about Jackie and her books, please visit her website at: www.jackiebraun.com. She would also love to hear from you, and invites you to email her at: writejbraun@aol.com

       DIANE BURTON believes in fairy tales, the Easter Bunny, and happy-ever-after, which is why she loves reading and writing romance. She met her own hero on a blind date and it was love at first sight--for her. It took her a little longer to convince him. They have two grown children. After following her husband's job from Detroit to Missouri, Detroit again, sw Michigan, and Chicagoland, Diane and her husband currently live north of Lansing, MI.

       Diane's love of romantic comedy and "Star Trek" led to the writing of her first futuristic, SWITCHED, which was released by ImaJinn Books in August 2001.

       For an excerpt from SWITCHED, check out Diane's website! She would love to hear from you via email at DBurton72@aol.com

       MICHELLE CELMER lives in southeastern Michigan with her husband, their three children, two dogs and two cats. When she’s not writing or busy being a mom, you can find her in the garden or curled up with a romance novel. And if you twist her arm real hard you can usually persuade her into a day of power shopping at Sam's Club (she just loves buying in bulk).

       Her first Silhouette Desire, PLAYING BY THE BABY RULES, was released February ‘04 with rave reviews and received 4 stars from Romantic Times. She also had four new books on the shelves in between December 04 and October 05!

       Michelle loves to hear from readers. Visit her website at: www.michellecelmer.com, for latest releases, excerpts, or to enter her contest. You can also write her at P.O Box 300, Clawson, MI 48017.

       SUE CHARNLEY, a.k.a. ERICA ARTHUR is the author of four published novels and has been a student, teacher, sailor, mother, admitting clerk, painter, and many other things in her lifetime. She currently works as a secretary at the University of Michigan. She lives in Ypsilanti, Michigan with her husband of thirty years, two handsome, intelligent sons, and two very superior cats. (Are there any other kind?)

       Please visit Sue's website, http://www.susancharnley.com , for more on Sue and her books. Sue also invites you to drop by her blogsite, "Frogs on the Windowpane" to find out how it got that name!

       Read Sue's article, "What's A Meta-Phor, Anyway?" on our Newsletter Articles page.

       LISA CHILDS, award-winning author of romantic suspense and women's fiction, has been writing since she could first form sentences. Her Halloween birthday predestined a life of writing intrigue: at eleven, she won her first writing award with a story revolving around a kidnapping. Lisa still enjoys writing suspense and now mixes it with romance.

       Lisa lives in west Michigan with her husband, two daughters and an odd menagerie of pets. She judges as many contests and volunteers to do as many critiques as she can fit into her busy schedule of writing, day job in the insurance industry and raising two young daughters.

       Read more about Lisa and her books on her website, www.lisachilds.com. You can either contact her through her website or with her snail mail address, PO Box 139, Marne, MI 49435.

       FLAVIA CROWNER is a natural when it comes to writing from the viewpoint of her wheelchair-bound series character, Sunny Farnum, who you'll meet in her new book PIE PANTRY from Koenisha Publications! Flavia's own writing career suffered a setback when she was involved in a near-fatal car accident that left her paraplegic five years ago. Writing her first book was a struggle to overcome the many obstacles that plague most writers. But Flavia also had to overcome the unique problems faced by handicapped writers.

       Flavia lives in a small town in Michigan, which servs as the setting for her Hometown Cozy Series. She loves to fish, tend her small garden, and care for her pet parakeets and goldfish.

       LEILA DAVIS now resides in her native Seattle, WA, but credits her years of substitute teaching in the Comstock, Michigan, school system for the necessary research behind her Avon Flare Young Adult novel, LOVER BOY. She is also multi-published in short story form and is an avid fan of the mystery genre. She is a former president of MMRWA.

       WIL A. EMERSON, 2005 president of MMRWA, has her eye set on publishing contemporary romances with a lot of psychological drama involved. She started writing about ten years ago after a creative hiatus of more years than she'd dare admit. It seems that her ventures as the family poet, songster and playwright always got her in a jam.

       Family genes didn't include similar funny bones. So, while keeping out of the line of family fire, Wil raised three boys, finished nursing school, and received a Bachelor's degree in Nursing---while traveling like a vagabond behind a husband who had his own career objectives

       Wil's nursing career took many corners, but eleven years were spent managing the welfare of patients with kidney disease. Ultimately, Wil served as clinical supervisor for a large transplant program in Dallas, Texas.

       After a two year stint in Europe in the late 90's, Wil returned home to focus on a relentless desire to write. TAKING ROSIE'S ARM, women's fiction, was released in 2002. Wil has numerous projects on the table, seven complete manuscripts and one new manuscript that is being reviewed for representation by an eager agent who called one Saturday evening after reading the synopsis of ALL IN A NAME.

       The year ahead offers rewards: On the board of MMRWA, another novel underway and the prospect of seeing one more novel in print. Six grandchildren also bring more joy than one could imagine. If Wil is not at her desk, she is either walking Mac, a playful Bichon or writing funny stories for the kids. They happen to think her family stories are pretty funny---because the stories are about their parents.

       You can read more about Wil and her books on her website, http://www.wilemerson.com/.

Authors without specific addresses listed can be reached c/o MMRWA, P.O. Box 2725, Kalamazoo, MI 49003-2725. All correspondence is appreciated!

If you're a MMRWA member who is not included on this page and want to be, or if you've had changes or updates you'd like added, please email them to Lana at info@midmichiganrwa.org!