Women's Fiction: Novels about women confronted with not-so-flattering self realizations--who choose to do something about it.

Urban Fantasy: Paranormal romances where the only thing hotter than the ideas are the heros.

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Website: www.maureenmcgowan.com

Blog: www.maureenmcgowan.blogspot.com

Group Writers' Blog: Drunk Writer Talk

Maureen has always been making up stories—her mother called it lying, her teachers creative talent—but sidetracked by a persistent practical side, it took her a few years to channel her energy into writing novels. Before seeing the light, she was: an auditor, a knowledge engineer, a software development manager, a product development director, and a hedge fund CFO.

She finally pummeled her sensible side into submission to let her creative side run free. Aside from books and writing, she’s passionate about art, dance, films, fine handcrafted objects, and shoes. Born and raised in various Canadian cities, (okay, born in one, raised in many), her previous career moved her to Northern California and Philadelphia for a number of years. She now lives and writes in Toronto, Canada.

Awards

THE MISEDUCATION OF APRIL HILLSON

Top 100 Semi-finalist in the Amazon Breakout Novel Award Contest 2008. View the excerpt and write a review here. ABNA Contest Entry
Finalist 2007 Golden Heart for "Novel with Strong Romantic Elements"
Finalist 2006 "Get Your Stiletto in the Door" Contest

THE MISEDUCATION OF APRIL HILLSON

Top 100 Semi-finalist in the Amazon Breakout Novel Award Contest 2008. View the excerpt and write a review here. ABNA Contest Entry
Finalist 2007 Golden Heart for "Novel with Strong Romantic Elements"
Finalist 2006 "Get Your Stiletto in the Door" Contest

A newly divorced society wife faces her worst nightmare – taking care of herself.
April wasn’t old enough to drink at her wedding to a billionaire, but was old enough to sign a prenuptial agreement, which, twenty-two years later, comes back to bite her – hard. Evicted from her cocoon-like society life, without the basic life-skills most adults take for granted, she discovers it’s never too late to grow up.

Here's what a Publishers Weekly Reviewer says of THE MISEDUCATION OF APRIL HILLSON

Manuscript review by Publishers Weekly, an independent organization
Orphaned at age 17, April is thrust into the world of high society. By the time she's 18, the ward of Philadelphia blueblood Richard Hillson has become his wife. Twenty-two years later, April is evaluating the years leading up to her divorce and isolation from the only world she has ever known. Alternating between flashbacks is her present-day struggle to rebuild her life after years of being a society matron. This witty rags-to-riches tale is filled with well-defined characters: Victoria Billingsgate Hillson, the controlling family matriarch; Richard, the shallow billionaire husband; Roxie, the stripper/waitress turned horticulture student who befriends April and finds her a job; Dan, the cop with a heart of gold; and various society wives straight out of the film The Women. The novel culminates in double crosses and upper-class backstabbing.

THE REDEMPTION OF SAUNDRA HAWTHORN

Saundra Hawthorn is misunderstood but claims not to care. To others, she’s a detached, middle-aged socialite who used her ex-husbands for money, but deep down she’s an emotionally damaged pragmatist who anonymously donates the bulk of her divorce settlements to women’s shelters. When she’s left out of her father’s will, Saundra must face the abuse in her past—and her own dark side—in order to save the shelters, protect her son and win back the only man she ever loved—her first husband.

SWITCHING SIDES

Switching bodies, a la Freaky Friday, with her gay, male friend can seriously complicate a girl’s love life. Yet for Melanie, this supernatural event helps her learn the most important person to love is herself.