Brenda Hiatt

Biography

Born in Washington, D.C., Hiatt graduated from the College of William and Mary, in Williamsburg, VA, with degrees in biology and psychology in 1978, before attending graduate school at Texas A&M University 1979-81. She has since lived in Hawaii, South Carolina, Texas, and now Indiana. She is married to attorney Keith Hiatt and has two children, Bethany and Dawn.

Early career

On starting her career, Hiatt declared, "I began writing in 1988, an army wife at home with two preschool children. I promised myself that, if nothing sold before my youngest began school, I'd get a 'real job,' so I was thrilled to sell a Regency romance novel to Harlequin six months ahead of that deadline."

Writing career

To date, Hiatt's published novels include six Harlequin Regency Romances, one Harlequin Superromance, two single title historical romances with HarperCollins, six historical romances with Avon Books, and a self-published four book young adult science fiction romance series. Hiatt's first single title historical romance, Scandalous Virute, was named Best Romance Novel of 1999 by the American Book Readers Association and, like many of her books, is of the Regency Romance genre. Her one time travel romance, Bridge Over Time, presents an unusual spin in the time travel genre as it features two heroines who trade places in time and gives equal time to both. Her works include a five book Regency Historical Romance series featuring "the Saint of Seven Dials," a series of successive rogue heroes who victimize the rich to help impoverished residents in London's notorious Seven Dials slum.

In September 2013, she released Starstruck, her first teen science fiction themed novel that is the first of a four-book series. The second book in the series, Starcrossed, was released in late January 2014. Book 3 in the series, Starbound, was released in June 2014 with Book 4, Starfall, released in February 2015 as the conclusion to the series. Successful sales of the series and demand from readers for more of it promptedher to release Fractured Jewel, A Starstruck Novella in July 2016. Her website indicates that Fractured Jewel sets "the stage for a new spin-off series that will feature characters and places you’ve already come to know, along with some new ones." However, no time for the release of future Starstruck books has been announced.

Starstruck has won numerous awards including first place in the National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award, first place in the I Heart Indie Contest, first place Book Buyers Best Contest, first place in the International Digital Awards, and second place in the Ancient City Romance Authors Readers Choice Award in the young adult category for each contest. In March 2015 Hiatt released Rigel's Jewel, an eShort retelling the first few chapters of Starstruck from the hero's perspective and made available for free to subscribers to her newsletter.

In January 2014, Hiatt was one of four authors of Scandalous Brides, an ebook "box set" compilation of four full length Regency Romance novels, with Hiatt's earlier published work, Scandalous Virtue, being her contribution. Scandalous Brides premiered at #12 on the USA Today bestsellers list. It then also reached #4 on the New York Times combined fiction print and ebook sales bestseller list.

In April 2015, Hiatt released her first three published books, Gabriella, The Cygnet and Lord Dearborn's Destiny, as an ebook compilation entitled Hiatt Regency Classics 1, 2 & 3. On April 23, 2015 the ebook reached #133 on the USA Today Bestsellers List. This compilation was followed in December 2015 with Hiatt Regency Classics 4, 5, & 6 consisting of Daring Deception, Christmas Bride and Azalea.

In February 2016, Hiatt returned to her Saint of Seven Seven Dials books, after a thirteen-year hiatus in the series, with the publication of Gallant Scoundrel.

An active member of Romance Writers of America since 1990, Hiatt has also served as President of Novelists, Inc, an international organization of over 800 multi-published novelists. Hiatt is well known within the industry for her annual "Show Me the Money" survey of writers' earnings, the results of which she frequently presents at speaking events and on her website. She also teaches an online writing seminar.

Philanthropy

Hiatt has been an active member of the Romance Writers of America, a national non-profit genre writers association that provides networking and support to individuals seriously pursuing a career in romance fiction, since 1990. She participates every year in the organization's Readers for Life Literacy Autographing, which has raised more than $300,000 for adult literacy.

Awards and honors

In 1999, Hiatt won the American Book Readers Association Award for best romance novel for the book Scandalous Virtue.

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