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| Belinda lived in West Berlin for four years where she
rode with the British Saddle Club in the stadium built by
Hitler for the Olympics. She also drove race cars on a quarter-mile
dirt track within throwing distance of the Berlin Wall.
Belinda said it took seeing a house with the Berlin Wall built
through the center of it to bring home the full impact of the
atrocities committed. When she returned stateside, she gave
up her pastimes of scuba diving and race car driving to raise
three children in Waco, Texas.
As an overworked paralegal, Belinda has somehow found time to write two medieval time travels, one long contemporary and two short contemporaries, one of which garnered first place in the 1997 Heart of the Rockies contest. The other, A Daddy for Jessie, is a 1999 Golden Heart finalist in the Traditional Romance category. In addition to fiction writing, Belinda is published in law related nonfiction and recently completed an in depth history of the law firm which has employed her for eighteen years. This work, The Ballad of the Lawyers Who Tamed Six Shooter Junction, was recently published in honor of the firm's eightieth anniversary. A romance reader for most of her life, Belinda wrote on her own for three years before attending the Heart of Texas Chapter organizational meeting where she became a charter member. Since that time, she has served as vice president in 1997 and president in 1998 and 1999.
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Lisa Buie-Collard has been a member of RWA for a year and a half and is currently chapter treasurer for the Heart of Texas Chapter of Romance Writers of America. When learning to read and write between the ages of six and nine, Lisa earned her weekly allowance by writing stories which her father would then go over with her for corrections and comments. An aspiring writer himself, he instilled in her a love of story-telling that has lasted all her life. She has taken numerous writing courses, including a Writer's Digest correspondence course and has written off and on for years, though always 'on the side', of children or 'the paycheck'. She is published in non-fiction, newspapers articles, etc. Two years ago, realizing she did not have to earn a paycheck--for the moment, she and her husband decided the time was right for her to go for her dream, to write full time and try to make a career of it. She has been doing just that for a year and a half and is sending out the first six chapters of her novel, The Celtic Flame, in March to an editor who has asked to see them. Lisa writes historical fiction based on real people and events, and adds a heavy element of romance. She has completed the first novel in her trilogy of Celtic British Monarchs. Lisa met her husband, Geoffrey, in France in 1981 while traveling for a year in Europe, and that story is too long for this bio. They have been married for sixteen years and have two native Texans; a son Tristan, 12, and a daughter Marjorie, almost 9. They currently live in Waco, Texas and travel as much as possible. |
| As the youngest member of the Heart of Texas chapter, Kristen
Eppner is picked on incessantly by the other members. (Just kidding.) In reality, during
the last two and a half years, HOT members have encouraged
Kristen to write more than just obscure collegiate
research papers.
Over the years, Kristen's love affair with words has grown. She wrote her first poem at age 5 and was first published at age 8. In the fourth grade, Kristen began her first novel, a Civil War historical. In the years since then, Kristen has continued taking writing classes and scribbling stories at every chance she can find. In 1996, Kristen joined the West Houston chapter of RWA. A year later, she joined the Heart of Texas chapter, where she currently serves as publicity liaison and as a member of the newsletter committee. Kristen graduated in May 1999 from Baylor University with Bachelor of Arts degrees in Journalism (public relations) and English Professional Writing. At Baylor, Kristen worked as the head of public relations for Baylor Theatre. She has been a reporter for The Baylor Lariat, the campus daily newspaper, and a contributor to the award-winning Focus Magazine. She is also the recipient of the prestigious Houston Press Club scholarship and was recently elected to Who's Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities. Although Kristen doesn't yet have all her post-graduation plans figured out, she does know writing will play a major part in them. In addition to finishing up school, Kristen has recently spent a week in London, England and became the proud "parent" of her new Mazda, Elton.
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Growing up, Sandy was always an instrospective, shy child, reading whatever she could get her hands on. Thank goodness, she grew out of it. Well, at least out of the introspective and shy part. "As a little girl I knew two things were certain for my future: writing 'love stories,' and owning a draft horse. Both have become realities for me." She wrote stories and poetry from the time she could hold a pencil, and has kept most of it locked away from human eyes. Writing and riding were placed on the back burners for a few years while Sandy was busy working, getting married, and having kids. Married to her 'Prince Charming' Curtis for "what seems forever," they have two daughters, Natalie and Whitney, two Dobermans, two cats, and two horses (one of whom looks remarkably like Fabio). She began to write romances in earnest in 1992, while pregnant with Whitney. She has completed three short contemporaries, Kevin's Angel, Sable Dance, and A Father's Choice, one erotic novella, "The Christmas Gift", and one historical romance, The Duke's Heart. Her work-in-progress is another historical, Already His. Sandy joined RWA in 1992, and is a founding member of, and the first President for the Heart of Texas Chapter. She has been a member of the Houston Bay Area and North Texas Chapters of RWA, and is currently a member of Heart of Texas, Lowcountry Romance Writers, and the Beau Monde. She now resides in Columbia, South Carolina, and is still active in the Heart of Texas Chapter (where her heart is). |
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Like most kids who grew up B.T. (before television) Dolores Sullivan loved the library and the scenarios it provided. Ever the dreamer she imagined herself in starring roles from Nancy Drew to Queen Elizabeth, the dominant theme being that of sleuth extraordinaire, always glamorous, and always in cahoots with a hero who resembled the movie star of the moment. High school graduation brought the need to find a more realistic career. When offered the opportunity work for a national advertising agency, Dolores jumped at the chance and loved every minute, particularly the one when she met her husband, Leo, an account executive. And working with excellent business writers and public relations specialists as an assistant, proofreader and researcher, enabled her to hone her writing skills. Later she handled a number of free-lance writing assignments, and developed newsletters for several small businesses. For two years she was managing editor of the mid-Texas edition of TravelHost Magazine. In that magazine's annual competition within its nationwide network of more than 100 associate publishers, she was a finalist for best magazine in a small market as well as two editorial categories. Encouraged by her sister, RWA member Micqui Miller, to dust off some of her secret scenarios and venture into writing fiction, Dolores joined RWA in 1991. In 1995 she became a charter member of the Heart of Texas chapter, and its first secretary and newsletter editor. She was awarded an honorable mention at the 1997 National Conference for the chapter's newsletter, From The Heart. Still a fan of whodunits, she also is a member of the Mystery/Suspense Kiss of Death chapter. Though yet unpublished, Dolores is working on her second manuscript, a contemporary romantic suspense. She currently is a special events planner for the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce.
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Back To Home Page · Membership Form
1999
- Finalist, Traditional Contemporary - A DADDY FOR JESSIE,
Golden Heart Contest, Romance Writers of America.
