Dark Nights Discovery Authors

We’re thrilled to announce our Dark Nights Discovery Class of 2018! As with both the Class of 2016 & 2017, we’ve heard from so many of you that you look to 1,001 Dark Nights for book/series/author recommendations — and even after reading all of our titles, you’re still hungry for more. So we once again asked our contributing authors to nominate writers that they’d love for you to ‘discover’ — and we received nearly fifty nominations!

After several months, lots of reading, and many agonizing decisions, we narrowed the fifty down to an amazing seven. Our plan is to feature stories from our Discovery Authors in each of our 2018 Dark Nights Bundles. We hope this will give you an introduction that will compel you to read more from these wonderful writers.

This is our way of giving back/paying forward, and it’s one of the best parts of what you’ve helped us build with 1,001 Dark Nights.

Thank you, as always, for your amazing support,
Liz Berry & M.J. Rose

Introducing our Class of 2018 Dark Nights Discovery Authors…

Sidney Bristol

It can never be said that New York Times & USA Today bestselling author Sidney Bristol has had a ‘normal’ life. She is a recovering roller derby queen, former missionary, tattoo addict and board game enthusiast. She grew up in a motor-home on the US highways (with an occasional jaunt into Canada and Mexico), traveling the rodeo circuit with her parents. Sidney has lived abroad in both Russia and Thailand, working with children and teenagers. She now lives in Texas where she spends her time writing, reading, hunting Pokemon, playing board games and catering to her furry overlords, aka the cats.

Darcy Burke

Darcy Burke is the USA Today bestselling Author of sexy, emotional historical and contemporary romance. Darcy wrote her first book at age 11, a happily ever after about a swan addicted to magic and the female swan who loved him, with exceedingly poor illustrations. A native Oregonian, Darcy lives on the edge of wine country with her guitar-strumming husband, their two hilarious kids who seem to have inherited the writing gene, two Bengal cats and a third cat named after a fruit.

T. Gephart

T Gephart is an indie author from Melbourne, Australia.

T’s approach to life has been somewhat unconventional. Rather than going to University, she jumped on a plane to Los Angeles, USA in search of adventure. While this first trip left her somewhat underwhelmed and largely depleted of funds it fueled her appetite for travel and life experience.

With a rather eclectic resume, which reads more like the fiction she writes than an actual employment history, T struggled to find her niche in the world.

While on a subsequent trip the United States in 1999, T met and married her husband. Their whirlwind courtship and interesting impromptu convenience store wedding set the tone for their life together, which is anything but ordinary. They have lived in Louisiana, Guam and Australia and have travelled extensively throughout the US. T has two beautiful young children and one four legged child, Woodley the wonder dog.

An avid reader, T became increasingly frustrated by the lack of strong female characters in the books she was reading. She wanted to read about a woman she could identify with, someone strong, independent and confident who didn’t lack femininity. Out of this need, she decided to pen her first book, A Twist of Fate. She enjoyed the process so much that when it was over she couldn’t let it go.

T loves to travel, laugh and surround herself with colourful characters. This inevitably spills into her writing and makes for an interesting journey – she is well and truly enjoying the ride!

Based on her life experiences, T has plenty of material for her books and has a wealth of ideas to keep you all enthralled.

Stacey Kennedy

USA Today bestselling author Stacey Kennedy has written more than thirty romances, including titles in her wildly hot Club Sin, Dirty Little Secrets, and Filthy Dirty Love series. Her books are about real people with real-life problems, searching for that special thing we call love…in a very sexy way. When she’s not burning up the pages and setting e-readers ablaze, she’s living her happily ever after with her husband and two young children in southwestern Ontario. She’s a firm believer that wine, chocolate, and sinfully sexy books can cure all of life’s problems.

Adriana Locke

USA Today and Amazon Top 10 bestselling author Adriana Locke lives and breathes books. After years of slightly obsessive relationships with the flawed bad boys created by other authors, Adriana has created her own.

She resides in the Midwest with her husband, four sons, and two dogs. She spends a large amount of time playing with her kids, drinking coffee, and cooking. You can find her outside if the weather’s nice and there’s always a piece of candy in her pocket.

JB Salsbury

JB Salsbury, New York Times bestselling author of The Fighting Series, lives in Phoenix, Arizona, with her husband and two kids. She spends the majority of her day lost in a world of battling alphas, budding romance, and impossible obstacles as stories claw away at her subconscious, begging to be released to the page.

Her love of good storytelling led her to earn a degree in Media Communications. With her journalistic background, writing has always been at the forefront, and her love of romance prompted her to write her first novel.

Since 2013 she has published six bestselling novels in The Fighting Series and won a RONE Award.

Erika Wilde

Erika Wilde (aka Janelle Denison) is the USA Today bestselling author of over 50 contemporary romances for multiple print publishers.

So, why the new pen name?

As Janelle Denison I’ve always written sexy books, but lately my writing has taken on more erotic elements that I wanted to keep separate for readers because not everyone likes their reading material on the spicier, kinkier side of romance. However, please be assured that even as Erika Wilde, you will still get an emotionally layered story with characters you’ll care about and fall in love with. That is always my goal, whether I’m writing straight contemporary romances, or more erotically charged stories.

Currently, I’m working on The Marriage Diaries and making sure that Dean and Jillian enjoy exploring the more erotic side to their marriage. The series will be on-going, with no foreseeable ending as of right now, for as long as readers want to be voyeurs to Dean and Jillian’s sizzling new relationship.

Introducing our Class of 2017 Dark Nights Discovery Authors…

Nazarea Andrews

Nazarea Andrews (N to almost everyone) is an avid reader and tends to write the stories she wants to read. Which means she writes everything from zombies and dystopia to contemporary love stories.

When not writing, she can most often be found driving her kids to practice and burning dinner while she reads, or binge watching TV shows on Netflix. N loves chocolate, wine, and coffee almost as much as she loves books, but not quite as much as she loves her kids.

N is a self-professed geek and enjoys spending her spare time lost in her favorite fandoms and can often be found babbling about them on social media.

She lives in south Georgia with her husband, daughters, spoiled cat and overgrown dogs. She is the author of the Green County Series, World Without End series, Neverland Found, and The University of Branton Series, among others. Stop by her Twitter (@NazareaAndrews) and tell her what fantastic book she should read next.

Kristen Callihan

Kristen Callihan is an author because there is nothing else she’d rather do. She is a three-time RITA nominee, and winner of two RT Reviewer’s Choice awards. Her novels have garnered starred reviews from Publisher’s Weekly and the Library Journal, as well as being awarded top picks by many reviewers. Her debut book FIRELIGHT received RT Magazine’s Seal of Excellence, was named a best book of the year by Library Journal, best book of Spring 2012 by Publisher’s Weekly, and was named the best romance book of 2012 by ALA RUSA. When she is not writing, she is reading.

Megan Erickson

Megan Erickson is a USA Today bestselling author of romance that sizzles. Her books have a touch of nerd, a dash of humor, and always have a happily ever after. A former journalist, she switched to fiction when she decided she liked writing her own endings better.

She lives in Pennsylvania with her very own nerdy husband and two kids. Although rather fun-sized, she’s been told she has a full-sized personality. When Megan isn’t writing, she’s either lounging with her two cats named after John Hughes characters or… thinking about writing.

Melanie Harlow

USA Today bestselling author Melanie Harlow likes her heels high, her martini dry, and her history with the naughty bits left in. She’s the author of AFTER WE FALL, MAN CANDY, the HAPPY CRAZY LOVE series (contemporary romance), the FRENCHED series (contemporary romance) and the SPEAK EASY duet (historical romance). She writes from her home outside of Detroit, where she lives with her husband, two daughters, and one insane rabbit.

Jenna Jacob

USA Today bestselling and award winning author Jenna Jacob lives out her happily-ever-after in Kansas with her Alpha husband, adult children, and animal babies. When she’s not pounding the keyboard she’s likely riding a Harley, camping and fishing, reading, or cooking. Dubbed the “Goddess of Gravy” by Lexi Blake, Jenna enjoys tantalizing the taste buds of family and friends with her famous fried chicken dinner.

But don’t let her conventional innocence fool you. Jenna has been involved in the BDSM lifestyle for over twenty years. With experience and knowledge she delves deep into the emotional psyche of strong Dominants and sassy submissives with her Doms of Genesis series and The Doms of Her Life series (co-authored with Shayla Black and Isabella LaPearl).

Her works have been called: savagely beautiful, captivating, and emotionally riveting. A hopeless romantic, Jenna paints a softer picture with her contemporary romance: Sky Of Dreams. A lover of life and laughter, she sets her zany sense of humor free in the romantic comedies: Sin On A Stick and Wet Dream. No matter the genre, you’ll want a box of tissues handy, Jenna tugs hard on the heartstrings.

Molly E. Lee

Molly E. Lee is an author best known for her Love on the Edge series which puts characters to the test with life or death situations that are as intense as the romance that keeps them alive. She’s also known as a veteran mentor at Pitch Wars – a program which connects promising writers to established authors in the community.

Molly writes New Adult and Young Adult Contemporary featuring strong female heroines who are unafraid to challenge their male counterparts, yet still vulnerable enough to have love sneak up on them. In addition to being a military spouse and mother of two, plus one stubborn English Bulldog, Molly loves watching storms from her back porch at her Midwest home, and digging for treasures in antique stores.

Meghan March

A USA Today bestselling author of over fifteen novels, Meghan March has been known to wear camo face paint and tromp around in woods wearing mud-covered boots, all while sporting a perfect manicure. She’s also impulsive, easily entertained, and absolutely unapologetic about the fact that she loves to read and write smut. Her past lives include slinging auto parts, selling lingerie, making custom jewelry, and practicing corporate law. Writing books about dirty talking alpha males and the strong, sassy women who bring them to their knees is by far the most fabulous job she’s ever had.

Jessica Scott

Jessica Scott is the USA Today bestselling author of novels set in the heart of America’s Army. She is an active duty army officer, a veteran of the Iraq war, is the mother of two daughters, far too many animals, and wife to a retired NCO.

She has written for the New York Times At War blog, War on the Rocks, PBS Point of View Women and War and has been featured in Esquire Magazine as an American of the Year in 2012. She has compiled two nonfiction projects about her time in Iraq and the return home.

She has recently completed a PhD in sociology from Duke University and also holds a a Master’s Degree in Sociology from Duke University, a Masters Degree in Telecom Management from University of Maryland University College, BA in Cultural Studies from State University of New York and an Associates Degree from Central Texas College.

She’s been featured as one of Esquire Magazine’s Americans of the Year for 2012.

Sierra Simone

Sierra Simone is the USA Today bestselling author of American Queen and Priest. She’s a former librarian who spent too much time reading romance novels at the information desk. She’s also a 4th degree black belt in kenpo karate, a narcoleptic, a former living history interpreter and is licensed to perform marriages in exchange for beer. She lives with her husband, two kids and a big, brown dog in Kansas City.

Lili Valente

USA Today bestselling author Lili Valente writes both naughty things and funny things (that are also naughty). She has slept under the stars in Greece, eaten dinner at midnight with French men who couldn’t be trusted to keep their mouths on their food, and walked alone through Munich’s red light district after dark and lived to tell the tale.

These days you can find her writing in a tent beside the sea, drinking coconut water and thinking delightfully dirty thoughts.

Introducing our Class of 2016 Dark Nights Discovery Authors…

Mari Carr

Writing a book was number one on Mari Carr’s bucket list and on her thirty-fourth birthday, she set out to see that goal achieved. Too many years later, her computer is jammed full of stories — novels, novellas, short stories and dead-ends and she has nearly eighty published works.
Virginia native and high school librarian by day, Mari Carr is a New York Times and USA TODAY bestseller of contemporary erotic romance novels. Join her newsletter so you don’t miss new releases and for exclusive subscriber-only content.

Find Mari on her website and follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

K.L. Grayson

K.L. Grayson resides in a small town outside of St. Louis, MO. She is entertained daily by her extraordinary husband, who will forever inspire every good quality she writes in a man. Her entire life rests in the palms of six dirty little hands, and when the day is over and those pint-sized cherubs have been washed and tucked into bed, you can find her typing away furiously on her computer. She has a love for alpha-males, brownies, reading, tattoos, sunglasses, and happy endings…and not particularly in that order.

Find K.L. Grayson on her website and follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

Riley Hart

Riley Hart is the girl who wears her heart on her sleeve. She’s a hopeless romantic, a lover of sexy stories, passionate men, and writing about all the trouble they can get into together. She loves reading, flawed characters, and hanging out with her husband and children, who she adores.

She and her family live in Southern California, soaking up the sunshine, while also missing seasons. Not a day goes by that she isn’t thankful she gets to wake up and do what she loves. Life is good.

Riley also writes young adult and new adult under the name Nyrae Dawn.

Find Riley on her website and follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

Michelle St. James

Michelle St. James is a pen name for critically acclaimed YA author Michelle Zink. Her first series, Prophecy of the Sisters (YA), was one of Booklist’s Top Ten Debut novels. Her work has also been an Indie Next selection and has appeared on prestigious lists such as the Lonestar List, New York Public Library’s Stuff for the Teen Age, and Chicago Public Library’s Best of the Best. Her books have been published in over thirty countries and translated into over twenty languages. She lives in New York with too many teenagers and too many cats.

Find Michelle on her website and follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

Skye Jordan

Skye’s New York Times bestselling novels are all about enjoying that little wild streak we all have, but probably don’t let out often enough. About those fantasies we usually don’t get the opportunity to indulge. About stretching limits, checking out the dark side, playing naughty and maybe even acting a little wicked. They’re about escape and fun and pleasure and romance. And, yes, even love, because Skye is ultimately a romantic at heart and a happily ever after kinda gal. Skye also writes romantic suspense as Joan Swan, weaving fast paced novels of passion, danger and suspense.

Skye is a California native recently transplanted to the East Coast and living in Alexandria, Virginia, just outside Washington DC with her husband of 25 years. She has two grown daughters in college in Colorado and Oregon. In her free time she’s always taking classes and attending seminars. She’s currently loving mosaics, forensic sculpting, pastry and cooking classes and knitting.

Find Skye on her website and follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

Kennedy Layne

“First and foremost, I love life. I love that I’m a wife, mother, daughter, sister…and a writer.

“I am one of the lucky women in this world who gets to do what makes them happy. As long as I have a cup of coffee (maybe two or three) and my laptop, the stories evolve themselves and I try to do them justice. I draw my inspiration from a retired Marine Master Sergeant that swept me off of my feet and has drawn me into a world that fulfills all of my deepest and darkest desires. Smoldering romance, military men, intrigue, with a little bit of kinky chili pepper (his recipe), fill my head and there is nothing more satisfying than making the hero and heroine fulfill their destinies.

“Thank you for having joined me on their journeys…”

Find Kennedy on her website and follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

Jennifer Lyon

Jennifer Lyon is the pseudonym for USA Today Bestselling Author Jennifer Apodaca. Jen lives in Southern California where she continually plots ways to convince her husband that they should get a dog. After all, they met at the dog pound, fell in love, married and had three wonderful sons. So far, however, she has failed in her doggy endeavor. She consoles herself by pouring her passion into writing books. To date, Jen has published more than fifteen books and novellas, including a fun and sexy mystery series and a variety of contemporary romances under the name Jennifer Apodaca. As Jennifer Lyon she created a dark, sizzling paranormal series, and The Plus Once Chronicles, an emotionally sensual adult contemporary series. Jen’s won numerous awards and had her books translated into multiple languages, but she still hasn’t come up with a way to persuade her husband that they need a dog.

Find Jennifer on her website and follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

Angel Payne

USA Today bestselling romance author Angel Payne has been reading and writing her entire life, though her love for romances began in junior high, when writing with friends on “swap stories” they’d trade between classes. Needless to say, those stories involved lots of angst, groping, drama, and French kissing.

She began getting a paycheck for her writing in her twenties, writing record reviews for a Beverly Hills-based dance music magazine. Some years, various entertainment industry gigs, and a number of years in the hospitality industry later, Angel returned to the thing she loves the most: creating character-based romantic fiction. Along the way, she also graduated with two degrees from Chapman University in Southern California, taking departmental honors for English, before writing five historical romances for Kensington and Bantam/Doubleday/Dell.

Angel found a true home in writing contemporary-based romances featuring high heat, memorable alpha men, and the women who tame them. She has numerous book series to her credit, including the Kinky Truth series, the Cimarron saga, the Secrets of Stone series (with Victoria Blue), and the popular W.I.L.D. Boys of Special Forces series, as well as several stand-alone titles. The C Suite series launches in 2016.

Angel still lives in Southern California, where she is married to her soul mate and lives on a street that looks like Brigadoon, with their awesome daughter and Lady Claire, the dog with impeccable manners. When not writing, she enjoys reading, pop culture, alt rock, cute shoes, enjoying the outdoors, and being a gym rat.

Find Angel on her website and follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

C.D. Reiss

C.D. Reiss is a USA Today bestseller. She still has to chop wood and carry water, which was buried in the fine print. Her lawyer is working it out with God but in the meantime, if you call and she doesn’t pick up, she’s at the well, hauling buckets.

Born in New York City, she moved to Hollywood, California to get her master’s degree in screenwriting from USC. In case you want to know, that went nowhere, but it did give her a big enough ego to write novels.

Critics have dubbed the books “poetic,” “literary,” and “hauntingly atmospheric,” which is flattering enough for her to put it in a bio, but embarrassing enough for her not to tell her husband, or he might think she’s some sort of braggart who’s too good to chop a cord of wood.

If you meet her in person, you should call her Christine. Find C.D. Reiss on her website and follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

Rebecca Yarros

Rebecca Yarros is a hopeless romantic and lover of all things chocolate, coffee, and Paleo. In addition to being a mom, military wife, and blogger, she can never choose between Young Adult and New Adult fiction, so she writes both. She’s a graduate of Troy University, where she studied European history and English, but still holds out hope for an acceptance letter to Hogwarts. Her blog, The Only Girl Among Boys, has been voted the Top Military Mom Blog the last two years, and celebrates the complex issues surrounding the military life she adores.

When she’s not writing, she’s tying on hockey skates for her kids, or sneaking in some guitar time. She is madly in love with her army-aviator husband of eleven years. They finally can call Colorado home along with their gaggle of rambunctious kiddos and snoring English Bulldog.

Find Rebecca on her website and follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

Our Dark Nights Discovery Authors can be found in our 2016 & 2017 bundles – two authors/novellas per bundle.

We hope you enjoy!