Ultimatum: Marriage »

Nora Roberts has described this author's work as having "engaging characters, stories that thrill and delight, shivering suspense and captivating romance." Of the same author, Sandra Brown says "Her name on the cover instantly identifies the book as a good read." It will come as no surprise to readers of women's fiction that these authors are speaking of Ann Major.

However, it may surprise her peers to know that writing does not always come easily to Ann. "I love being a romance writer, even though writing is very hard work for me as I am not the kind of writer who lives to write. I love my life--my kids, my parents, my cats, my hobbies, just the little rituals of everyday life. These precious experiences give me the energy and the material so that I can write."

These words should come not only as encouragement to those of us who share this struggle, but also as an indication to the heights that can be scaled when an individual is as focused and driven as Ann.

A native of Texas, Ann's postsecondary education is as varied and far-reaching as the woman herself. Ann attended Del Mar College, the University of the Americas in Mexico City and the University of Texas in Austin, where she received a B.A. in English and Spanish. She taught school for two years before going on to receive her M.A. in English and Spanish from Texas A&M University.

A model of perseverance, Ann began writing when her first child was born and sold her first novel six years later. "I taught myself how to write without the aid of other writers, writing books or writing courses. It was a very lonely and solitary pursuit." Yet Ann never once considered giving up and, as a testament to her dedication, she has written over fifty books to date for the Silhouette Romance, Special Edition, Intimate Moments and Desire lines, and consistently tops bestseller lists.

A founding member of the Romance Writers of America, Ann is also the coauthor of the article "The Contemporary Light Romance," which has been collected in the book Writing and Selling the Romance Novel.

In addition to her career as a novelist, Ann is an accomplished pianist. She has played for well over thirty years and has studied music at the university level. Fluent in Spanish, Ann calls Corpus Christi, Texas, home when she is not traveling.

Mr. October: Billionaire business man Jake Claiborne

His Quest: Steer clear of scandal

His Quandry: He'd gotten the enemy's daughter pregnant!

It had been sheer madness to bed Alicia Butler. The beauty's father had cost Jake's company millions and any association with her would surely create troubling tabloid fodder. But Alicia was pregnant with his baby and he would not walk away from this responsibility. Their only option was marriage and the hope that the gossip would dwindle…even as their passion reignited.