Maria Hooley Lawton, Oklahoma

Maria Rachel Hooley has written thirty novels, including New Life Incorporated and When Angels Cry. Her first chapbook of poetry was published by Rose Rock Press in 1999, and her poetry has been published in over 80 national journals. While her novels typically venture into different genres, the one constant is the theme of redemption. She lives in Oklahoma with her husband and three children. If she's not writing, she probably teaching English to high school or college students.

The Phantom of the Opera, The Notebook, Dear Frankie, When Harry Met Sally, Timeline, P.S. I Love You, One More Kiss, Dead Again, The Princess Bride, Lady Jane, Atonement, Ask the Dust

Peter S. Beagle, Steven Boyett, Nicholas Sparks, Anita Shreve, Stephen Dunn, Lawrence Raab