Mary Jo Putney
Encyclopedia
Mary Jo Putney is a best-selling American
author
of over twenty-five historical
and contemporary romance novels. She has also been published fantasy romance novels as M.J. Putney. Her books are known for their unusual subject matter, including alcoholism, death, and domestic abuse.
. She attended Syracuse University
, earning degrees in English literature and Industrial design. She served as the art editor of The New Internationalist magazine in London
and worked as a designer in California
before settling in Baltimore, Maryland in 1980 to run her own freelance graphic design business.
After purchasing her first computer for her business, Putney realized that it would make writing very easy. She began work on her first novel, a traditional Regency romance, which sold in one week. Signet liked the novel so much that it offered Putney a three-book contract immediately. In 1987 that first novel, The Diabolical Baron, was published. Since then, she has published twenty-nine books (as of January 2007). Her books have been ranked on the national bestseller lists of the New York Times, USAToday, and Publishers Weekly. The vast majority of her works have been historical romance, although she did write three contemporary romances. She has also begun writing fantasy romance and romantic fantasy as M.J. Putney.
Putney has won the Romance Writers of America
RITA Award twice, for Dancing on the Wind and The Rake and the Reformer and has been a RITA finalist nine times. She is on the Romance Writers of America Honor Roll for bestselling authors, and has been awarded two Romantic Times Career Achievement Awards and four Golden Leaf Awards.
Putney lives in Baltimore with her cats. She is not married.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
of over twenty-five historical
Historical romance
Historical romance is a subgenre of two literary genres, the romance novel and the historical novel.-Definition:Historical romance is set before World War II...
and contemporary romance novels. She has also been published fantasy romance novels as M.J. Putney. Her books are known for their unusual subject matter, including alcoholism, death, and domestic abuse.
Biography
Putney was born and raised in New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. She attended Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
, earning degrees in English literature and Industrial design. She served as the art editor of The New Internationalist magazine in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and worked as a designer in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
before settling in Baltimore, Maryland in 1980 to run her own freelance graphic design business.
After purchasing her first computer for her business, Putney realized that it would make writing very easy. She began work on her first novel, a traditional Regency romance, which sold in one week. Signet liked the novel so much that it offered Putney a three-book contract immediately. In 1987 that first novel, The Diabolical Baron, was published. Since then, she has published twenty-nine books (as of January 2007). Her books have been ranked on the national bestseller lists of the New York Times, USAToday, and Publishers Weekly. The vast majority of her works have been historical romance, although she did write three contemporary romances. She has also begun writing fantasy romance and romantic fantasy as M.J. Putney.
Putney has won the Romance Writers of America
Romance Writers of America
Romance Writers of America is a national non-profit genre writers association. It provides networking and support to individuals seriously pursuing a career in romance fiction and supports top authors such as Nora Roberts and Judith McNaught.-History:...
RITA Award twice, for Dancing on the Wind and The Rake and the Reformer and has been a RITA finalist nine times. She is on the Romance Writers of America Honor Roll for bestselling authors, and has been awarded two Romantic Times Career Achievement Awards and four Golden Leaf Awards.
Putney lives in Baltimore with her cats. She is not married.
Single novels
- Lady of Fortune (1988)
- Uncommon Vows (1991)
- Carousel of Hearts (1992)
- Dearly Beloved (1990)
- The Bargain (1999) (revised as The Would-be Widow (1988))
- Dangerous to Know (2007)
- Dark Mirror (March 2011)
Bride Trilogy
- The Wild Child (1998)
- The China Bride (2000)
- The Bartered Bride (2002)
Circle of Friends Series
- The Burning Point (2000)
- The Spiral Path (2002)
- Twist of Fate (2003)
Davenport Series
- The Diabolical Baron (1987)
- The Rake (1998) (revised from The Rake and the Reformer (1989))
- "Sunshine for the Christmas" in A Regency Christmas II (1990)
Fallen Angels Series
- Thunder and Roses (1993)
- Petals in the Storm (1993) (revised from The Controversial Countess (1989))
- Dancing on the Wind (1994)
- Angel Rogue (1995) (revised from The Rogue and the Runaway (1990))
- Shattered Rainbows (1996)
- River of Fire (1996)
- One Perfect Rose (1997)
Guardian Series
- "The Alchemical Marriage" in Irresistible Forces (2004)
- A Kiss of Fate (2004)
- Stolen Magic (2005) (as M.J. Putney)
- A Distant Magic (2006)
Lost Lords Series
- Loving a Lost Lord (2009)
- Never Less than a Lady (2010)
- Nowhere Near Respectable (2011)
Silk Trilogy
- Silk and Shadows (1991)
- Silk and Secrets (1992)
- Veils of Silk (1992)
Omnibus in Collaboration
- "The Christmas Cuckoo" in A Regency Christmas (1991) (with Mary BaloghMary BaloghMary Balogh is a Welsh-Canadian historical romance novelist.-Personal life:...
, Sandra Heath, Melinda McRae and Edith Layton) - "The Christmas Tart" in A Regency Christmas IV (1992) (with Mary BaloghMary BaloghMary Balogh is a Welsh-Canadian historical romance novelist.-Personal life:...
, Marjorie Farrell, Sandra Heath and Emma Lange) - "Mad, Bad and Dangerous to Know" in Rakes and Rogues (1993) (with Mary BaloghMary BaloghMary Balogh is a Welsh-Canadian historical romance novelist.-Personal life:...
, Melinda McRae, Anita Mills and Maura Seger) reissued in Captured Hearts (1999) (with Mary BaloghMary BaloghMary Balogh is a Welsh-Canadian historical romance novelist.-Personal life:...
, Edith Layton, Patricia Rice and Joan WolfJoan WolfJoan Wolf is an American writer of romance novels.Wolf grew up in the Bronx, New York. She obtained a Bachelor's degree in Mercy College and Master in English and Comparative Literature in Hunter College.-Single novels:...
) - "The Wedding of the Century" in Promised Brides (1994) (with Kristin James and Julie Tetel) reissued in Bride by Arrangement (2000) (with Merline Lovelace and Gayle Wilson)
- "The Devil's Spawn" in Dashing and Dangerous (1995) (with Mary BaloghMary BaloghMary Balogh is a Welsh-Canadian historical romance novelist.-Personal life:...
, Edith Layton, Melinda McRae and Anita Mills) - "Goldspun Promises" / "No Brighter Dream" / "Dancing on the Wind" (1995) (with Elizabeth Gregg, Katherine Kingsley)
- "Dangerous Gifts" in Faery Magic (1996) (with Jo BeverleyJo BeverleyJo Beverley, née Mary Josephine Dunn is a prolific British-Canadian writer of popular historical romance novels....
, Karen Harbaugh and Barbara Samuel) - "The Best Husband Money Can Buy" in Stocking Full of Joy (1997) (with Jill BarnettJill BarnettJill Barnett is a best-selling American author of women's fiction and romance novels.In 1988, Jill Barnett sold her first novel, The Heart's Haven, to Pocket Books. It was published two years later, and spent three weeks on the bestseller list. She continued to write for Pocket, and by the time...
, Justine Dare, Susan KingSusan King (novelist)Susan King, née Longhi is an American writer of historical romance novels as Susan King, Sarah Gabriel and Susan Fraser King...
) - "Avalon" in In Our Dreams (1998) (with Ruth GlickRuth GlickRuth Glick, née Burtnick is a USA Today best-selling US writer of healthy cookbooks, romance and young adult novels...
, Barbara Cummings, Courtney Henke, and Corey McFadden) - "The Stranger's Familiar" in A Constellation of Cats (2002) (with Andre NortonAndre NortonAndre Alice Norton, née Alice Mary Norton was an American science fiction and fantasy author under the noms de plume Andre Norton, Andrew North and Allen Weston...
, Elizabeth Ann ScarboroughElizabeth Ann ScarboroughElizabeth Ann Scarborough was born March 23, 1947 and lives in Port Townsend, Washington. Scarborough won a Nebula Award in 1989 for her novel The Healer's War, and has written more than a dozen other novels...
, Jody Lynn NyeJody Lynn NyeJody Lynn Nye is an American science fiction writer. She has frequently collaborated as a co-author or the author of a sequel....
, Kristine Kathryn RuschKristine Kathryn RuschKristine Kathryn Rusch is an American writer. She writes under various pseudonyms in multiple genres, including science fiction, fantasy, mystery, romance, and mainstream....
, Mickey Zucker ReichertMickey Zucker ReichertMickey Zucker Reichert is an American fantasy fiction author of several best selling novels. She is known for her Renshai series, which provides a different perspective on traditional Norse mythology.-Volume 1:...
, and others) - "A Dragon's Tale" in Bewitched, Bothered and BeVampyred (2005) (with Gena ShowalterGena ShowalterGena Showalter is an American author in the genres of contemporary romance, paranormal romance, and young adult.Showalter sold her first book at the age of 27, and has published over 25 books. She has been named by The New York Times and USA Today as a bestselling author...
, Mary Janice Davidson, Alesia Holliday, Susan GrantSusan GrantSusan Grant is a pilot and New York Times bestselling author best known for combining science fiction with romance. Grant graduated from the United States Air Force Academy in 1982, the third class to include women, and was commissioned as an officer in the United States Air Force. She went on to...
, Patricia Rice and Vicki Lewis ThompsonVicki Lewis ThompsonVicki Lewis Thompson is a best-selling U.S.American writer of over seventy romance novels. She has also been published under the pseudonyms Cory Kenyon and Corey Keaton with Mary Tate Engels.-Biography:...
) - "The Dragon and the Dark Knight" in Dragon Lovers (2007) (with Jo BeverleyJo BeverleyJo Beverley, née Mary Josephine Dunn is a prolific British-Canadian writer of popular historical romance novels....
, Karen Harbaugh and Barbara Samuel)