Joanna Bourne
{{short description|American novelist}}
{{Infobox writer
| name = Joanna W. Bourne
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| image = Romance_author_Joanna_Bourne.jpg
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| caption = Joanna Bourne at Romance Writers of America Conference, July 22, 2015, New York, NY
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| occupation = Author
| language = English
| nationality = American
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| citizenship = United States
| education =
| alma_mater = Goucher College
Georgetown University
| period = Contemporary
| genre = Romance novels
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| awards = RITA Award
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Joanna Watkins Bourne is an American, best-selling author of historical romance novels set in Europe during the Napoleonic wars. Her novels about a group of spies have won numerous awards.{{cite web|author= |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/happyeverafter/2014/11/04/joanna-bourne-rogue-spy-excerpt/18419795/ |title=Excerpt: 'Rogue Spy' by Joanna Bourne |publisher=Usatoday.com |date=2014-11-04 |accessdate=2015-03-08}}{{cite web|url=http://books.usatoday.com/happyeverafter/post/2012-08-08/joanna-bourne-interview-the-black-hawk/820703/1 |title=Interview: Joanna Bourne, author of 'The Black Hawk' - USATODAY.com |publisher=Books.usatoday.com |date=2012-08-09 |accessdate=2015-03-08}} Her books have been described as "witty, beautifully descriptive, [and] cleverly plotted".{{cite book|last1=Ramsdell|first1=Kristin|title=Romance fiction : a guide to the genre|date=1999|publisher=Libraries Unlimited|location=Englewood, Colo.|isbn=978-1563083358|pages=217|edition=2nd|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Lh8sLBFwBQgC&pg=PA217|accessdate=9 March 2015}} The Spymaster's Lady is frequently cited as a reader favorite, with a spy hero who is both 'alpha' and 'beta' and a spy heroine who is "brave and clever".{{Cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/2015/06/27/417775406/alpha-beta-heathcliff-an-alphabet-of-romance-heroes|title = Alpha, Beta, Heathcliff — an Alphabet of Romance Heroes}} Rogue Spy, which features a code-breaker and a British service agent, was listed by Library Journal as one of the ten best romances of 2014.{{cite journal|last1=Ramsdell|first1=Kristin|title=Best Books 2014: Romance|journal=Library Journal|date=October 22, 2014|url=http://reviews.libraryjournal.com/2014/10/best-of/best-books-2014-romance/|accessdate=8 March 2015}}
Biography
Joanna Bourne graduated from Goucher College and Georgetown University. After working as a research analyst for the Congressional Research Service in Washington, D.C., she taught English in Africa. Then she joined the State Department as a Foreign Service Officer. She has lived in England, France, Germany, Nigeria, Iran, and Saudi Arabia. She currently lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains.{{cite web|last1=Chung|first1=Kathy|title=Meet the Presenters 2010 - Joanna Bourne|url=http://www.siwc.ca/blog/2010/meet-presenters-2010-joanna-bourne|website=23rd Annual Surrey International Writers Conference|date=March 25, 2010}}
Bourne's first novel, Her Ladyship’s Companion, was published in 1983 by Avon. She did not write her second novel until 25 years later.{{cite web|last1=Latham|first1=Kat|title=Interview with Joanna Bourne – and giveaway!|url=http://katlatham.com/2011/10/interview-with-joanna-bourne-and-giveaway/|website=Kat Latham|date=31 October 2011|accessdate=9 March 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://www.joannabourne.com/ |title=Website for Author Joanna Bourne |publisher=Joannabourne.com |date= |accessdate=2015-03-08}}
Bibliography
- Her Ladyship's Companion (1983)
- Spymaster's Lady (2008)
- My Lord and Spymaster (2008)
- The Forbidden Rose (2010)
- The Black Hawk (2011)
- Rogue Spy (2014)
- Beauty Like the Night (2017)
Awards
- 2009 - Romance Writers of America RITA Award winner for Best Regency Historical Romance, My Lord and Spymaster{{cite web |url=http://www.lincolnlibraries.org/depts/bookguide/aw/ritawinners.htm |title=BookGuide - Lincoln City Libraries - Award Winners: The Rita Awards |publisher=Lincolnlibraries.org |date= |accessdate=2015-03-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402133929/http://www.lincolnlibraries.org/depts/bookguide/aw/ritawinners.htm |archive-date=2015-04-02 |url-status=dead }}
- 2009 - Romance Writers of America RITA Award finalist for Best Historical Romance, Spymaster's Lady
- 2011 - Romance Writers of America RITA Award finalist for Best Historical Romance, The Forbidden Rose
- 2012 - Romance Writers of America RITA Award winner for Best Historical Romance, The Black Hawk
- 2014 - Library Journal, Ten best romances of 2014, Rogue Spy
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{official website|http://www.joannabourne.com/}}
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Category:20th-century American novelists
Category:21st-century American novelists
Category:American romantic fiction writers
Category:American women novelists
Category:Georgetown University alumni
Category:20th-century American women writers
Category:21st-century American women writers