I've written many novels (40ish--see sidebar, in order of publication), including my 2001 debut, SEE JANE DATE, which was made into a very cute TV movie that is often on the Hallmark Channel or Lifetime; THE LOVE GODDESS' COOKING SCHOOL, an Indie Next List notable; and two YA novels, THEODORA TWIST and THE MOSTS. I now write contemporary romance for Harlequin Special Edition, my home and love (4 books a year, so if you missed one, there'll be another soon)! I also wrote two novels under a secret pseudonym, but I'll spill that secret if you email me to find out. I wrote seven novels for Harlequin Special Edition under the not-secret pen name Meg Maxwell. A highlight of this career is that my books have been published in over twenty-five countries, from Russia to China to France. Bucket list dream: to visit every one of those twenty-five-plus countries. First: Italy, where I've been three times and can't get enough of.

I've also ghostwritten several novels, including one for a major celeb, but really can't say who (confidentiality contract insists) and several for New York Times bestsellers. My essays appear in Breaking Bread: Essays From New England On Food, Hunger, And Family; It's A Wonderful Lie: The Truth About Life in Your Twenties and Everything I Wanted To Know About Being A Girl I Learned From Judy Blume, and I have short stories in American Girls About Town and Flirting With Pride & Prejudice: Fresh Perspectives on the Original Chick Lit Masterpiece.

From the late 80s until the year 2000, I was a fiction editor in New York City. I worked at Harlequin Books for ten years, then spent two fun years at 17th Street Productions/Alloy Entertainment on teen fiction, including the Sweet Valley series, where twins Elizabeth and Jessica were in junior high, high school and college simultaneously. Ever since, I've been a freelance editor (for publishing houses), a copywriter (if you wonder who wrote the back cover and flap copy of the book you read last night, it might have been me), ghostwriter, and author, and I love all four hats equally.

My Harlequin Special Edition romances under the name Meg Maxwell are: A COWBOY IN THE KITCHEN, THE DETECTIVE'S 8 LB, 10 OZ SURPRISE, THE COWBOY'S BIG FAMILY TREE, THE COOK'S SECRET INGREDIENT, CHARM SCHOOL FOR COWBOYS, MOMMY AND THE MAVERICK, and SANTA'S SEVEN-DAY BABY TUTORIAL. Except for MOMMY AND THE MAVERICK, which is part of the line's latest and long-running Montana Mavericks series, all are part of the Hurley's Homestyle Kitchen series.

I live on the coast of Maine with a sweet shepherd mix named Flash, a comical lap cat named Cleo, and my dear son when he's home on breaks from college. I'm now hard at work on my next novel. 'm represented by InkWell Management and my long-time (since 2003), beloved agent, Alexis Hurley.

Feel free to email me with any questions or comments at MelissaSenate @ yahoo.com