Meet Our MARA Authors

Carla Cassidy

Carla Cassidy

Published Author

Carla Cassidy is a NYTs bestselling author who has written more than 125 novels for Harlequin Books. She is listed on the Romance Writer’s of America Honor Roll and has won numerous awards. Carla believes the only thing better than curling up with a good book to read is sitting down at the computer with a good story to write.

Val Fassnight

Val Fassnight

Self-Published Author

A self-confessed geek, Val Fassnight has written fan fiction since high school in the 1980s in Star Trek fanzines. Jumping to the internet solidified her as an author in various fandoms including Star Trek, Star Wars, Harry Potter, Marvel Cinematic Universe, various anime, and DC Comics. She used this experience to jump to writing original works of romance and mystery.

DeAnna Talcott

DeAnna Talcott

Published Author / Screenwriter

As a third-grader, DeAnna Talcott started writing her first book in a one-room schoolhouse. While she never finished or published that book, she did go on to graduate from the University of Nebraska and subsequently published across the board, in newspapers, magazines, and book-length fiction. As the author of romcoms, paranormal fantasy, and romance, she sold sixteen books to Kensington, Harlequin/Silhouette, and New Concepts. From those works, she was the recipient of the National Readers’ Choice Award, The Booksellers’ Best, The HOLT Medallion, and the Write Touch Readers’ award. In 2013 she co-wrote and sold her first original screenplay, HATS OFF TO CHRISTMAS, which aired on the Hallmark Channel.

Darlene Deluca

Darlene Deluca

Published Author

Darlene Deluca writes contemporary romance and women’s fiction about people and their relationships – what brings them together or keeps them apart. Her books include a little bit of friendship, family, and romance. She currently has nine published novels. Reading has been Darlene’s favorite pastime since childhood. With a degree in Journalism, she started her career as a newspaper reporter. She writes day or night, whenever the words/mood/deadlines strike, and almost always has a cup of tea and a bit of dark chocolate nearby.

Michelle Grey

Michelle Grey

Self-Published Author

Michelle Grey’s love affair with romance began the summer before high school when she discovered her mom’s Harlequin collection. The feeling of joy from experiencing those happily-ever-afters has stayed with her ever since. Now she writes stories about strong women with strong passions, sexy swoon-worthy heroes, and the twists of fate that bring them together and try to tear them apart. She hopes to ignite the same spark of joy for her readers that caught fire in her that long ago summer. When she’s not writing, reading, or voicing a novel, Michelle spends most of her time hanging out with her favorite humans. With marriages and babies and puppies, the boisterous group seems to grow every year, and she wouldn’t have it any other way. Michelle loves to hear from her readers so drop her a note on Facebook or Instagram, or on her website www.authormichellegrey.com

M.A. Monnin

M.A. Monnin

Published Author

M. A. Monnin is the author of the Intrepid Traveler Mystery series, including Agatha Best First Novel nominee DEATH IN THE AEGEAN. Look for her third book, DEATH IN ST. GEORGE’S, in May 2024. Her short stories have appeared in Black Cat Mystery Magazine, Black Cat Weekly and numerous anthologies, including the Anthony Award-winning MD14: Mystery Most Edible. Like her heroine Stefanie Adams, Mary loves the adventure of foreign travel. If there’s the chance to check out an archaeological site, so much the better for this avocational archaeologist and Air Force veteran. A member of Mystery Writers of America, International Thriller Writers, Sisters in Crime, Mid America Romance Authors and the Kansas City Archaeological Society, she lives in Kansas City, MO. 

Jules Parker

Jules Parker

Published Author

Jules Parker is a longtime lover of action movies, fast cars, and good books. She picked up her first romance novel at the age of 12 and has been crafting sensual, white-knuckle love stories ever since. Having published 10 romantic suspense novels under the pen name J.A. Dennam, she took a short break to focus on health and family, and is returning with a fresh set of ways to deliciously torture her characters. Her favorite thing is to immerse herself within the creative confines of her she-shack, though she is also known to ride motorcycles and cuddle chickens.
Lisa Rayne

Lisa Rayne

Published Author

Lisa Rayne loves telling romantic stories about badass heroes across the span of time. She writes sexy contemporary and banter-laden historical romance. For all the latest news on her books, giveaways, and appearances, follow her @AuthorRayne on Instagram, Facebook or TikTok. An avid reader, the only thing Lisa likes more than curling up with a good book is writing one. She’s a four-time Emma Award Winner, and her first historical romance, Never Cross a Highlander, garnered a prestigious Publisher’s Weekly starred review. When she’s not writing, she loves being an active track mom for her collegiate daughter, binge-watching planner flip-throughs on YouTube, and plotting how to get one of her novels turned into a movie featuring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. Learn more at lisarayne.com.

Jade Looks-Twice

Jade Looks-Twice

Pre-Published Author

Jade Looks-Twice is a writer from KC who writes urban fantasy and paranormal romance. Developing a love for mysteries and the unknown at a young age, Jade devoured books, reading through both the school and public library. Before long, Jade began writing and started creative writing groups at both the local high school and college.

Sara Dillinger

Sara Dillinger

Pre-Published Author

Sara Dillinger has been pregnant for thirty years. After hard labor, she is about to give birth to a bouncing (or thudding) baby romance novel with a split timeline and/or time travel involved. She types with one hand because she always has a cat or two on her lap.

Parker Hum

Parker Hum

Pre-Published Author

Parker Hum is a lover of magic, myth, monsters, and mayhem and usually has them in her fantasy-based projects, which span from across our world to the ones beyond. Midwest born and raised, she can often be found in a pile of books, or at her laptop typing away at another manuscript.
Sable Fox

Sable Fox

Pre-Published Author

Sable Fox was a newspaper photojournalist for several years, writing routine and feature articles dealing with hard facts. However, creating richly imaginative worlds and characters is something they have been doing for as long as they can remember. In 2018, they started writing creative fiction for close friends, focusing on short stories and novellas. Now, they’re working on writing their first novel for publication.

They avoided fitting neatly into specific boxes from an early age and usually use the pronouns they/them, though any pronoun except “it” will do. They craft LGBTQIA+ speculative erotic romance with authentic neurodivergent protagonists finding their perfect matches and HEA on their terms, showing that finding love and being loved happens to everyone. The stories flow with heat and sweetness in equal measure and nerdy humor.

They live in the Midwest with their found family of friends, a partner, and a menagerie of canine and feline furkids.