# Maggie Shayne

Maggie Shayne (born 1965) is an American author who wrote more than 70 novels. Shayne has won multiple awards, including the Romance Writers of America RITA Award, multiple Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice and Career Achievement Awards, The Readers' Choice Award, and the P.E.A.R.L. Award.

## Early life

Shayne lived in Syracuse, New York, before moving to Chenango County, New York. She worked as a waitress prior to becoming an author.
As a child, Shayne liked to tell stories and rewrite the endings of books and horror movies. Her first attempt at a novel came when she was older, when she mentally wrote a romance story while trying to comfort a sick baby; 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. Harlequin launched their Shadows Line, and Shayne sent a query letter that said, "I'm just jumping up and down; so happy that you have created a line especially for me!" Although the editor rejected that book, Shayne's second book was purchased. The novel became the first of Shayne's Wings in the Night series, which she continued writing even 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, St. Martin's Press, Penguin Putnam, Spilled Candy Books, and MIRA Books. Her paranormal romances combine romance and horror, where the redemption of the monster is through love. Many of her novels "[blend] mysticism into everyday life in a good vs. evil scenario."
Shayne also worked as a writer for the soap operas Guiding Light and As the World Turns 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, Booksense and Waldenbooks bestseller lists, and Twilight Hunger reached Number 18 on the New York Times Bestseller List. Many of her books have been chosen by Doubleday Bookclub, the Mystery Guild, and Rhapsody Bookclub. On her thirteenth nomination for a Romance Writers of America 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, 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 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 Romance Writers of America RITA Award finalist (12-time nominee)