Janet Mullany http://www.janetmullany.com

Janet Mullany came to the Washington DC area from England via Kansas and Colorado, and has worked as an archaeologist, radio announcer, arts administrator, and editor/proofreader for a small press. Her first book, Dedication, an erotic historical cunningly disguised as a Signet Regency, was published in September 2005. In 2007 her Regency chicklit, The Rules of Gentility was published, and she made her debut as Jane Lockwood with Forbidden Shores, an erotic historical. Janet gives a workshop on servants and, with author Pam Rosenthal, a workshop on how to write hot historicals.   #

Sophia Nash http://www.sophianash.com

Sophia Nash's first three Regency romances won six national awards, including a RITA award, Romantic Times Award for Best Regency Romance, a spot on Booklist's "Top Ten Romances of the Year," RRA's Best Debut Romance of the Year, and more. Her first single title Historical from Avon/Harper Collins will hit the shelves the summer of 2007. Raised in America and France, Sophia began her writing career as a television producer for CBS, and also held stints as a congressional speechwriter, and a nonprofit CEO before pursuing her long-held dream of writing fiction. She has held several posts within the Washington Romance Writers organization, including WRW Retreat Chair and Programs Chair. Readers may learn more about her national award-winning novels via her website: http://www.sophianash.com.  #

Kathleen O’Reilly http://www.kathleenoreilly.com

First published in 2001, Kathleen O’Reilly, is the award-winning author of seventeen romances, three novellas, two lady-lit novels, and two computer programming books, with more romances in the works. Known for "biting humor," "amazing storytelling" and the Smart Bitches, Trashy Books "heir to the Nora Roberts title of Really Unbelievably Nuanced, Delicious Male Characters," reviewers have been lavish in their praise. She lives in New York with her husband and two children who outwit her daily.  #

Pamela Palmer http://www.pamelapalmer.net

Pamela Palmer admits to a passion for all things paranormal, fed by years of Star Trek, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Tolkien's classic, The Lord of the Rings. Though she grew up wanting to be an astronaut (until she realized the space shuttle wasn't likely to get her beyond Earth's orbit), she became an industrial engineer for a major computer maker before surrendering to the romantic, exciting, other-worldly stories that crowded her head, demanding to be told. Her writing has won numerous awards including the prestigious Golden Heart. Pamela has been a member of WRW for more years than she cares to count and has co-coordinated both the Marlene Contest and the Harpers Ferry Retreat Programs, among other things.  #

Kathryn Parker

My name is Kathryn Parker, better known as Kay. My husband and I are retired and have three grown children. Our last human child will leave the nest this fall. Our four legged child, a Black Lab, is too busy running the house and sleeping on the furniture to go anywhere. I write romantic mystery/suspense, and have belonged to WRW for four years now, helping out with snacks or taping at meetings. I've come in first in two contests, the long contemporary NEORWA and the Molly, for a manuscript I will soon send out.  #

Nicky Penttila http://nickypenttila.com

Nicky Penttila, a recovering newspaper journalist, writes science fact and historical and contemporary fiction. A member of WRW since 2003, she has volunteered as web coordinator and is now membership coordinator, and continues to wrangle a Marlene contest category each year. She is the proud recipient of the WRW Magic Crystal for service to the chapter. On Twitter at @sunshinyday  #