Maggie Shayne (born Margaret Lewis) is an American

author An author is the writer of a book, article, play, mostly written work. A broader definition of the word "author" states: "''An author is "the person who originated or gave existence to anything" and whose authorship determines responsibility f ...

of more than 70 novels. Shayne has won numerous awards, including the

Romance Writers of America Romance Writers of America (RWA) is an American non-profit writers' association founded in 1980. Its mission is to "advance the professional and common business interests of career-focused romance writers through networking and advocacy and by incr ...

RITA Award, multiple Reviewers' Choice and Career Achievement Awards, The Readers' Choice Award, and the P.E.A.R.L. Award among others. In addition to her work as a novelist, Shayne is active in the

Wiccan Wicca () is a modern Pagan religion. Scholars of religion categorise it as both a new religious movement and as part of the occultist stream of Western esotericism. It was developed in England during the first half of the 20th century and was ...

religion.

Early life

Shayne was born and raised in a rural area near

Syracuse, New York Syracuse ( ) is a City (New York), city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, Onondaga County, New York, United States. It is the fifth-most populous city in the state of New York following New York City, Buffalo, New York, Buffa ...

. As a child, Shayne liked to tell stories and rewrite the endings of stories she had read as well as those of the horror movies she loved to watch. Her first attempt at a novel came when she was older, when she mentally wrote a story while trying to comfort a sick baby; the story envisioned was a romance due to her mood. She soon transferred the story to a yellow pad. Shayne took a job watching a neighbor's horses so that she could earn the money to buy her first typewriter. She soon finished three manuscripts, which she was unable to sell.

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launched their Shadows Line, and Shayne sent a query letter to let them know that: "I'm just jumping up and down; so happy that you have created a line especially for me!" Although the editor rejected her first book, Shayne's enthusiasm spurred her to see more novels, and the second was purchased. The novel became the first of Shayne's Wings in the Night series, and Shayne to continue writing the series after the Shadows Line was closed.

Career

Shayne has had over 70 novels published, including women's fiction, thrillers, romantic suspense, paranormal, and category romance. She has also published several non-fiction titles in the area of spiritual self-help. She has written for five publishers including

Avon Books Avon Publications is one of the leading publishers of romance fiction. At Avon's initial stages, it was an American paperback book and comic book publisher. The shift in content occurred in the early 1970s with multiple Avon romance titles reach ...

St. Martin's Press St. Martin's Press is a book publisher headquartered in Manhattan, New York City, in the Equitable Building. St. Martin's Press is considered one of the largest English-language publishers, bringing to the public some 700 titles a year under si ...

Penguin Putnam Penguin Group is a British trade book publisher and part of Penguin Random House, which is owned by the German media conglomerate Bertelsmann. The new company was created by a merger that was finalised on 1 July 2013, with Bertelsmann initially ...

, Spilled Candy Books, and

MIRA Books Mira Books is a book publishing imprint of Harlequin Enterprises that focuses on mainstream fiction. It was launched in 1994. Profile MIRA publishes a range of fiction from thrillers to fantasy to chick-lit to historical fiction. It has featur ...

. Her paranormal romances combine romance and horror, where the redemption of the monster is through love. Many of her novels " lendmysticism into everyday life in a good vs. evil scenario." Shayne also worked as a writer for the

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s ''

Guiding Light ''Guiding Light'' (known as ''The Guiding Light'' before 1975) is an American radio and television soap opera. It is listed in ''Guinness World Records'' as the third longest-running drama in television in American history. ''Guiding Light'' a ...

'' and ''

As the World Turns ''As the World Turns'' (often abbreviated as ''ATWT'') is an American television soap opera that aired on CBS for 54 years from April 2, 1956, to September 17, 2010. Irna Phillips created ''As the World Turns'' as a sister show to her other soa ...

'' and considered accepting the position of co-head-writer before deciding to devote her time to her novels. Shayne's novels have appeared on the ''

USA Today ''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgini ...

'',

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and

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bestseller lists, and ''Twilight Hunger'' reached Number 18 on the

New York Times Bestseller ''The New York Times'' Best Seller list is widely considered the preeminent list of best-selling books in the United States. John Bear, ''The #1 New York Times Best Seller: intriguing facts about the 484 books that have been #1 New York Times ...

List. Many of her books have been chosen by Doubleday Bookclub, the

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, and Rhapsody Bookclub. On her thirteenth nomination for a

RITA Award, Shayne won the award. She has also won three Career Achievement Awards from Romantic Times Bookclub Magazine.

Personal life

Shayne has interest in the culture and religion of ancient

Sumer Sumer () is the earliest known civilization in the historical region of southern Mesopotamia (south-central Iraq), emerging during the Chalcolithic and early Bronze Ages between the sixth and fifth millennium BC. It is one of the cradles of c ...

, and included some of her research in her novels, including ''Destiny''. After several years of study at the Black Forest Clan, a chartered Wiccan seminary, Shayne became a high priestess and an elder in the

Wicca Wicca () is a modern Pagan religion. Scholars of religion categorise it as both a new religious movement and as part of the occultist stream of Western esotericism. It was developed in England during the first half of the 20th century and was ...

religion and has been licensed as a minister. Shayne founded her own coven, the Hawks of RavenMyst, in a tradition, similar to a denomination, known as the RavenMyst Circle, that she helped found. Shayne has five grown daughters. She married Lance on Valentine's Day in 2014. She resides in a small town in upstate New York.

Awards

*1992–1993 – Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Award, Best First Book, ''Reckless Angel'' *1993 – New Jersey Romance Writers Golden Leaf Award for Best Long Contemporary, ''Miranda's Viking'' *1993–1994 – Romantic Times Career Achievement Award, Series Romantic Fantasy *1993–1994 – Affaire de Coeur Magazine Favorite Paranormal Author of the Year *1995–1996 – Romantic Times Career Achievement Award, Romantic Fantasy *1995–1995 – Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Award, Best Contemporary Fantasy, ''Fairytale'' *1997–1998 – Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Award, Best Mini-Series Romance, ''A Husband in Time'' *1997–1998 – Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Award, Best Contemporary Fantasy, ''Forever Enchanted'' *2005 – Romance Writers of America RITA Award winner, Best Novella, "Her Best Enemy" *Romantic Times Magazine Women in Search of Heroes (wISH) Award, Twilight Illusions *Romantic Times Magazine WISH Award, Born in Twilight *Romantic Times Gold Medallion Award, Twilight Illusions *Romantic Times Gold Medallion Award, Forever Enchanted' *Six-time

RITA Award finalist (12-time nominee)

Bibliography

Wings in the Night Series

Wings in the Night: Reborn Series

Fairies of Rush Series

Texas Brands Series

#''The Littlest Cowboy'' (in A Brand of Christmas and The Texas Brand: In the Beginning) #''The Baddest Virgin in Texas'' (in The Texas Brand: In the Beginning) #''Badlands Bad Boy'' (in The Texas Brand: In the Beginning) #''Long Gone Lonesome Blues'' FORMERLY ''The Husband She Couldn't Remember'' #''The Lone Cowboy'' FORMERLY ''That Mysterious Texas Brand Man'' #''Lone Star Lonely'' FORMERLY ''The Baddest Bride in Texas'' #''The Outlaw Bride'' #''Texas Angel'' FORMERLY ''Angel Meets the Badman'' #''Texas Homecoming'' FORMERLY ''The Homecoming''

The Immortal Series

Oklahoma All-Girl Brands Series

#''The Brands Who Came for Christmas'' (in A Brand of Christmas and Stranger in Town) #''Brand-New Heartache'' (in Stranger in Town) #''Secrets and Lies'' #''A Mommy For Christmas'' FORMERLY ''Feels Like Home'' #''One Magic Summer'' FORMERLY ''Dangerous Lover'' #''Sweet Vidalia Brand''

Mordecai Young Series

#''Thicker Than Water'' #''Colder Than Ice'' #''Darker Than Midnight''

Secrets of Shadow Falls Series

The Portal Series

Brown and de Luca Series

The Shattered Sisters Series

#''Reckless'' FORMERLY ''Reckless Angel'' #''Forgotten'' FORMERLY ''Forgotten Vows'' #''Broken'' FORMERLY ''Kiss of the Shadow Man'' #''Hollow'' FORMERLY ''The Bride Wore a Forty-Four'' #''Hunted''

The McIntyre Men

Also called Bliss in Big Falls. #''Oklahoma Christmas Blues'' #''Oklahoma Moonshine'' #''Oklahoma Starshine'' FORMERLY ''Oklahoma Sunlight'' #''Shine on Oklahoma'' FORMERLY ''Oklahoma Starlight'' #''Christmas Blues'' (in Buckles, Boots and Mistletoe and Baby By Christmas)

Shayne's Supernaturals

#''Forgotten'' #''Magic by Moonlight'' FORMERLY ''Musketeer by Moonlight'' #''Miranda's Viking'' #''Everything She Does is Magic'' #''Stargazer'' FORMERLY ''Out-of-This-World Marriage'' #''Witch Moon'' #''Zombies! A Love Story''

Novels

*''Forever, Dad'' *''A Husband in Time'' *''Million Dollar Marriage'' *''The Gingerbread Man'' *''Enemy Mind'' *''That Mysterious Man''

Anthologies and collections

References

External links

Maggie Shayne Official Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Shayne, Maggie Living people 20th-century American novelists 21st-century American novelists American romantic fiction writers American women novelists RITA Award winners Wiccan priestesses American Wiccans Novelists from New York (state) Women romantic fiction writers 20th-century American short story writers 21st-century American short story writers 20th-century American women writers 21st-century American women writers Wiccan novelists 1965 births