Hosting Authors
These are the bestselling authors who will be hosting tables at this year's annual Readers Luncheon.
We are super excited for those who will be joining us and hope that you will want to be a part of the event.
We are super excited for those who will be joining us and hope that you will want to be a part of the event.
SARIAH WILSON - Keynote Speaker
(ROMANTIC COMEDY)
SARIAH WILSON is the USA Today bestselling author of THE PAID BRIDESMAID, THE SEAT FILLER, ROOMMAID, JUST A BOYFRIEND, the Royals of Monterra series, and the #Lovestruck novels. She has never jumped out of an airplane, has never climbed Mount Everest, and is not a former CIA operative. She has, however, been madly, passionately in love with her soul mate and is a fervent believer in happily ever afters—which is why she writes romance. She grew up in Southern California, graduated from Brigham Young University (go Cougars!) with a semi-useless degree in history, and is the oldest of nine (yes, nine). She currently lives with the aforementioned soul mate and their children in Utah, along with three cats named Pixel, Callie, and Belle, who do not get along (the cats, not the kids—although the kids sometimes have their issues, too).
Sariah's book ROYAL DATE was selected as one of the first winners in Amazon's Kindle Scout program. Her novella ROYAL DESIGN helped launch Amazon Publishing's Kindle in Motion technology, and she had her own Kindle World for THE ROYALS OF MONTERRA. Her books THE FRIEND ZONE and ROOMMAID were selected by Amazon as one of the Best Romances of 2019 and 2020, respectively. Her book ROOMMAID was the most read book from Amazon's website in September 2020. |
JENNIFER BECKSTRAND - Welcome Speaker
(AMISH ROMANCE)
JENNIFER BECKSTRAND is the USA Today bestselling author of The Matchmakers of Huckleberry Hill series, The Honeybee Sisters series, The Petersheim Brothers series, and The Amish Quiltmaker series for Kensington Books. Two of Jennifer’s books were nominated for the RWA RITA® Award, and she is a #1 Amazon bestselling author. Jennifer has written twenty-eight Amish romances and the nonfiction book, BIG IDEAS. She has also written two Western historical and two contemporary romances as Jen Spencer. She and her husband have been married for thirty-seven years, and she has six children and eight adorable grandchildren, whom she spoils rotten.
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RAEANNE THAYNE
(SMALL TOWN ROMANCE)
RAEANNE THAYNE is a New York Times, Publishers Weekly and USA Today bestselling author of more than fifty books. Her books have won many honors, including six RITA® nominations from Romance Writers of America®, a RT Book Reviews career achievement award and the Colorado Romance Writers Award of Excellence. She has also been named a Romance Pioneer of 2016 from RT Book Reviews. Her stories have been described as “poignant and sweet,” with “beautiful, honest storytelling (that) goes straight to the heart.” She finds inspiration from the beautiful northern Utah mountains, where she lives with her family.
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KELLI ANN MORGAN
(WESTERN HISTORICAL ROMANCE)
KELLI ANN MORGAN is the international bestselling author of the beloved Redbourne Series, Deardon Mini-Series, and the Silver Springs Series. She writes inspirational romances with handsome, chivalrous men, strong, intelligent women, and a host of other characters that will feel like family. Her novels are highly romantic, full of action, and always leave you with a happily-ever-after. She lives in northern Utah near the beautiful mountains where she writes, runs her graphic design business, and enjoys many creative and artistic hobbies.
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MELINDA CURTIS
(SWEET ROMANCE)
Prior to writing romance, award-winning USA Today bestseller MELINDA CURTIS was a junior manager for a Fortune 500 company, which meant when she flew on the private jet she was relegated to the jump seat—otherwise known as the potty. After grabbing her pen (and a parachute) she made the jump to full-time writer. Between writing sweet romance for Harlequin and indie-pubbed sweet romantic comedy, Melinda finds time to bond with her husband over home remodeling projects. She recently came to grips with the fact that she’s an empty nester and a grandma, concepts easier to grasp than jet-setting on a potty.
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ELANA JOHNSON AKA LIZ ISAACSON
(SWEET ROMANCE)
A USA Today Bestselling and Amazon Kindle All-Star Author, ELANA JOHNSON writes clean and wholesome contemporary romance. She is well-known for her young adult dystopian romance series Possession, Surrender, Abandon, and Regret, published by Simon Pulse (Simon & Schuster). She writes clean beach romance in the Hawthorne Harbor Second Chance Romance series, the Getaway Bay Romance series, the Getaway Bay Resort Romance series, the Forbidden Lake Romance series, the Stranded in Paradise Romance series, the Hope Eternal Ranch Romance series, the Sweet Water Falls Farm Romance series, and the Carter's Cove Romance series.
Elana also writes inspirational western romances under the USA Today bestselling pen name of Liz Isaacson. |
JENNIFER PEEL
(ROMANTIC COMEDY)
JENNIFER PEEL is a USA Today bestselling author who didn’t grow up wanting to be a writer, she was aiming for something more realistic like being the first female president. When that didn’t work out, she started writing just before her fortieth birthday.
Now after publishing several award-winning and bestselling novels she’s addicted to typing and chocolate. When she’s not glued to her laptop and a bag of Dove dark chocolates, she loves spending time with her family, making daily Target runs, reading, and pretending she can do Zumba. |
BECKY MONSON
(ROMANTIC COMEDY and CHICK LIT)
By day, BECKY MONSON is a mother to three young children, and a wife. By night, she escapes with reading books and writing. An award-winning author, Becky uses humor and true-life experiences to bring her characters to life. She loves all things chick-lit (movies, books, etc.), and wishes she had a British accent. She has recently given up Diet Coke for the fiftieth time and is hopeful this time will last... but it probably won't.
Readers' Favorite Book Award Recipient 2016, 2017, 2018, & 2019 |
HEATHER B. MOORE
ROMANCE AND HISTORICAL FICTION
HEATHER B. MOORE is a USA Today bestselling author of more than fifty publications. Her historical novels and thrillers are written under pen name H.B. Moore. She writes women's fiction, romance and inspirational non-fiction under Heather B. Moore. This can all be confusing, so her kids just call her Mom. Heather attended Cairo American College in Egypt, the Anglican School of Jerusalem in Israel, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Brigham Young University in Utah. Heather is represented by Dystel, Goderich, and Bourret.
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KIRSTEN OSBOURNE
HISTORICAL AND CONTEMPORARY WESTERN
USA Today bestselling author KIRSTEN OSBOURNE knows how to write romance. Each book is an experience that transplants the reader, indulging them in decadence, intense emotion and sweeping love.
Hailing from the state of Wisconsin, she has lived in Texas for over thirty years as a mother, writer, and wife. Married to the love of her life for more than fifteen years, she knows that true love exists and shares that vision with the world. She writes contemporary and historical romance as well and also ventures into the realm of paranormal romance. She invites you to join her in her world of fantasy, love, and make believe, no matter the location, where there is always a happily ever after at the end. |
LISA BINGHAM
HISTORICAL AND CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
LISA BINGHAM was thirteen when she decided she wanted to be a published author, and she reached that goal less than ten years later. Now, Lisa is the bestselling author of more than thirty historical and contemporary romantic fiction novels. Lisa has also been a teacher and a professional theatrical and historical reenactment costume designer--she's considered an expert in both fields. She has been lucky enough to live and study in such exotic locales as Brazil, Mexico, Europe, and the United Kingdom. Currently she lives in rural northern Utah near her husband's fourth-generation family farm. She is married to her sweetheart of twenty-two years and has three beautiful children, an over-protective dog, a burr-laden cat, and a miniature goat who thinks she's a puppy.
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IRISH WINTERS
MILITARY ROMANCE
IRISH WINTERS is an award-winning author who dabbles in poetry, grandchildren, and rarely (as in extremely rarely) the kitchen. More prone to be outdoors than in, she grew up the quintessential tomboy on a farm in rural Wisconsin, spent her teenage years in the Pacific Northwest, but calls the Wasatch Mountains of Northern Utah home. For now.
The wife of one handsome husband and the mother of three perfect sons, Irish divides her time between writing at home and travelling the country with her man while - writing. (Seriously, what else?) She believes in making every day count for something and follows the wise admonition of her mother to, "Look out the window and see something!" |
JEN GEIGLE JOHNSON
REGENCY ROMANCE
JEN GEIGLE JOHNSON has more stories circulating in her brain than can possibly be told. She discovered her passion for England while kayaking on the Thames near London as a young teenager. History is her main jam. Her literary heroes include the greats: Jane Austen and Charles Dickens. But she has modern sensibilities as well. Six children and an inspiring husband keep her going and make certain she doesn't stay glued to a keyboard or lost in obscure fascinating details of old castles. She once greeted an ancient turtle under the water by grabbing her fin. She waterskis like a boss and hits the powder, falling down steep moguls with grace. During a study break date in college, she sat on top of a jeep's roll bars up in the mountains and fell in love with the man who would become her everything. Now, she loves to share bits of history that might otherwise be forgotten. Whether in Regency England, the French Revolution, or Colonial America, her romance novels are much like life is supposed to be: full of adventure.
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STEFANI WORTHEN
REGENCY ROMANCE
STEPHANI WORTHEN writes light-hearted, heartwarming and feel-good books. She is the author of the Woodbury Brides series and the upcoming The Realm series. She writes sweet contemporary, sweet historical, YA fractured fairy-tales, and humorous children’s books. Her imagination is always introducing her to new characters who want their own story. She is a lifelong music teacher and has successfully taught award-winning junior high school choruses, general music, and amazing elementary school bands. She is an avid reader. She is interested in needlework, handwork, and is learning how to quilt. A fervent believer in happily ever afters, she is married to her best friend, has six awesome children and 24 perfect grandchildren who she absolutely adores. |
REBECCA CONNOLLY
REGENCY ROMANCE
REBECCA CONNOLLY is the author of more than two dozen novels. She calls herself a Midwest girl, having lived in Ohio and Indiana. She's always been a bookworm, and her grandma would send her books almost every month so she would never run out. Book Fairs were her carnival, and libraries are her happy place. She has been creating stories since childhood, and there are home videos to prove it! She received a master's degree from West Virginia University, spends every spare moment away from her day job absorbed in her writing, and is a hot cocoa addict. |
MEG EASTON
SWEET SMALL TOWN ROMANCE
MEG EASTON is the USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romances and romantic comedies with fun, memorable, swoon-worthy characters, and settings you’ll want to pack up and move to. She lives at the foot of a mountain with her name on it (or at least one letter of her name) in Utah. She loves gardening, bike riding, baking, swimming before the sun rises, and spending time with her husband and three kids. |