Members
On this page, you'll find a list of current Triangle SinC members, brief bios and links to their blogs and websites. Please also take a look at the TSinC Books page for the latest news on members' current or forthcoming books, appearances, and signing events.
Ellery Adams/Jennifer Stanley- New York Times bestseller author Ellery Adams has written over thirty novels and can’t imagine spending a day away from the keyboard. Ms. Adams, a Native New Yorker, has had a lifelong love affair with stories, food, rescue animals, and large bodies of water. When not working on her next novel, she bakes, gardens, spoils her three cats, and wastes far too much time on Pinterest. She lives with her husband and two children (aka the Trolls) in central North Carolina. Her current series include the Book Retreat Mysteries and the Secret, Book, and Scone Society Mysteries published with Kensington, as well as several other cozy mysteries published by Berkley Prime Crime and Beyond the Page.
JD Allen is an exotic adventurer disguised as a normal suburbanite in central North Carolina. Okay, maybe she's just a dyslexic with a laptop and a wild imagination. When not writing or working out, her favorite things are cooking, movies, and of course... reading. She's a sports nut and she loves a good red Zin. She holds a degree in Forensic Anthropology from THE Ohio State University. Loves her Buckeyes. She finds the clash of passionate, strong willed personalities fascinating. She's published Romantica, a little science fiction / fantasy, and is now writing mysteries. JD is chapter Vice-President.
Maria Alonso-Sierra is the author of two romantic suspense novels, The Coin and The Book of Hours. She holds a Masters in English literature and has worked as a professional dancer, singer, journalist, and literature teacher. When not writing, she roams around to discover new places to set her novels.
Sharon Bader
Judy Barillaro
Sue Barnett grew up in Beaufort, North Carolina and set her first book in the small port town. LAST KNOWN PORT is fueled by the sex and booze and rag and jazz of 1923. Sue loves historical research and often gets lost in data collecting while interviewing, collecting anecdotes, and visiting local historical associations. She currently teaches Creative Writing at Wake Technical Community College, and works as a Developmental Editor. She lives with her family in Raleigh, and is always involved in activities for kids, community outreach, or environmental projects.
Jim Breeden
Antoinette Brown is a mystery reader and writer. Her short story, "One-Cat Woman" was published in Carolina Crimes: 19 Tales of Lust, Love, and Longing. She especially enjoys historical mysteries and cozies. She lives in Apex NC with her two rescued dogs.
Susan Buck
Rick Bylina was born on a snowy night in New Jersey (or so he was told) and expects to die, "...wailing against that goodnight...," with keyboard in his lap. But for now, he lives with his wife on five wooded acres where his imagination runs free in Apex, North Carolina. Ongoing corporate downsizing convinced him to tap into his passion. He scribbled any crazy idea that crossed his mind. After gaining discipline, he wrote his debut mystery novel, “One Promise Too Many,” published in 2011. He now has four mystery novels, a #1 best-selling book of poetry, and a memoir, "Paper or Plastic? The Grocery Store Chronicles," about working as a senior citizen in a grocery store as the night cashier, published in 2016. Question: Why is publishing so hard?
Jane Cole
Edna Collins
E.B. Davis’s short stories have appeared online and in print. Chesapeake Crimes: Homicidal Holidays, included “Compromised Circumstances.” The Carolina Crimes: 19 Tales of Lust, Love, and Longing anthology contained “Ice Cream Allure,” and “Wishing for Ignorance” was chosen for A Shaker Of Margaritas: That Mysterious Woman. She blogs and interviews authors at http://writerswhokill.blogspot.com.
Barbara Dolny-Bombar - Before moving from NY to NC, Barbara Dolny-Bombar won numerous awards during a long-time career in broadcast television (Commercial and Public) and as an independent (indie) producer. As a writer, her articles and short stories have been published in local, regional, and national publications. She now works as an independent writer / photographer, does a bit of web design, and experiments as a digital artist in Warhol-esque style art. A favorite activity is people watching - she gets some of her best ideas that way.
Deborah Dunn
Nora Gaskin Esthimer - A lifelong resident of the Durham-Chapel Hill area, Nora has a Bachelor’s Degree in English with Honors in Creative Writing from UNC, and a Masters in English from the University of Washington in Seattle. She retired in 2005, after more than 24 years as a stock broker and financial advisor, to focus on writing. While Nora's first published novel, Until Proven: A Mystery in 2 Parts, is entirely fiction, the seed for it was a real murder that happened in Chapel Hill on Christmas Eve, 1963. She lives and writes in Chatham County, inspired by her native landscape, her husband, and three dogs. Her favorite word is "gratitude."
Christine Gasser
David Goldston is a life member of SinC having joined shortly before attending the 2012 Writer’s Police Academy. He is a software quality engineer and technical writer who has recently turned his eye to writing fiction, mysteries and thrillers in particular. He is currently working on his first novel.
Toni Goodyear is a former journalist and winner of the North Carolina Press Association Award for feature writing. Other past careers include freelance writing (e.g., Redbook, Bantam Books jacket copy, Fawcett Publications), public relations, market research, ghostbusting (yes, really), managing data for clinical trials, and teaching university psychology. She holds a Ph.D. in Psychology from UNC Chapel Hill. She has just completed her first cozy mystery, Trouble Brewing in Tanawha Falls.
Noelle Granger
Calvin Hall
Mary Harris's grandmother gave her a Perry Mason mystery novel to distract her for a while. When she was four years old. Which she read. This started a lifelong love affair with words. Now, no genre is safe! Although she's still hesitant about haiku. Mary is published in fiction and non-fiction and is also a screenwriter; she understands the struggle to get the idea from the head to the paper. Her main mantra is, "It's all about the story." She is a passionate believer in the Oxford comma, but allows nothing to interrupt the flow of the story. She lives in Raleigh with her family and Diggz, the best cockapoo ever.
Kathleen Heady is a native of rural Illinois, but has lived and traveled many places, including numerous trips to Great Britain and seven years living in Costa Rica. She is the author of three mystery novels, Hotel Saint Clare, The Gate House, which was a finalist for an EPIC award in 2011, and Lydia's Story. She is currently working on a Young Adult novel set in thirteenth century England, and playing around with ideas for another mystery.
Susan Herron
Elizabeth Hyland
Judy Hogan's mystery, Killer Frost, was published in September 2012. Founder of Carolina Wren Press (1976-91), she is a published poet and non-fiction writer, and has taught creative writing since 1974. In 2011 she was a finalist in the St. Martin's Malice Domestic Mystery contest. A small farmer, she lives in Moncure.
Linda Johnson is originally from Chicago and attended University of Illinois. Her first career was in advertising. After a second career in the equestrian business, Linda decided to trade riding in for writing. She writes suspense novels and short stories featuring smart, psychopathic villains who almost get away with it.
Sara Johnson lives in Durham where she teaches part time and plots mysteries while walking her goldendoodle Beaufort. Her first forensic mystery, Boiled for Blood, is currently being pitched by her agent. She is working on the next in the series which is set in New Zealand. She currently serves as chapter Program chair.
Rosemary Jarrell
Bonnie Korta
Harry Krebs
Gina Lea lives in Garner, NC where she is the Director of Learning and Development for Dunkin Donuts. Gina’s first novel Defining Destiny (2014) is women’s fiction with a mystery element. Kirkus Review called it “An ideal, frothy beach book.” Her second novel in the Destinybay series is a traditional mystery currently in edits. Her short story “The Windmills” was published in Carolina Crimes: 21 Tales of Need, Greed, and Dirty Deeds, the second TriSinC anthology. Her current work in progress is a magical realism YA mystery. Her best critics are her hubby Rob and Zuzu the Wonder Dog!
Cynthia Luhrs is the author of There Was A Little Girl. Her idea of a perfect day is no interruptions and the freedom to live in her head all day, writing to her heart's content, a glass of sweet tea next to her as she creates the next book. Of course her tiger cats frequently disrupt this oasis of serenity.
Kitty Lynn
Karen McCullough, a former editor for a series of trade publications and web designer, is also the author of more than a dozen published novels in the mystery, romantic suspense, and fantasy genres. Her publishers include Avalon Books, Harlequin, Kensington, Belle Bridge Books, and Five Star/Cengage. She's won several awards, including an Eppie Award for best fantasy novel and been a four-time Eppie finalist, a Daphne finalist, Prism finalist, Rising Star Award finalist and several others. Her short fiction has appeared in a number of anthologies and small press publications in the mystery, science fiction, and romance genres. Her most recent publications are the second in her Market Center Mysteries series, Wired for Murder, and an indie-published romantic suspense novel, Hunter’s Quest. She also has a short story in the Triangle Sisters in Crime anthology, Carolina Crimes: 21 Tales of Need, Greed and Dirty Deeds. She has three children, a bunch of grandchildren, and lives in Greensboro, NC with her husband of many years.
Liz McGuffey
Lea McLemore
Peggy Tabor Millin
Ann Mitchell graduated with a B.S. in Accounting from Appalachian State University in Boone, N.C. She's a member of several local writing groups. One of her short stories, The Game, has been published in the anthology Carolina Crimes: 19 Tales of Lust, Love and Longing. Ann is chapter Webmaven and Secretary.
Charlie Monroe
Julianne Moore has an M.F.A. in fiction writing and left school from the Ph.d. level at NYU to pursue a publishing career in the city. While working as a book editor, she began penning romance novels in her spare time, then left to write full-time. She's published 45 books for Harlequin as Jule McBride. Having always dreamed of trying her hand at mysteries, she's hard at work on one. Born and raised in West Virginia, she's lived in New York City much of her adult life, but now makes her home in North Carolina.
Ruth Moose was on the creative writing faculty at UNC for fifteen years. She published three collections of short stories and six collections of poetry. She has had a MacDowell Fellowship, some PEN awards, and an NEA Grant. Her stories have been published in the UK, Denmark, Holland, and South Africa. Ruth is the winner of the 2013 Minotaur Books / Malice Domestic Competition for Best First Traditional Mystery Novel, Doing It at the Dixie Dew.
Kate Parker grew up reading her mother's collection of mystery books, and now she can't write a story without someone being murdered. It's taken her years to convince her husband she hasn't poisoned dinner; that funny taste is because she can't cook. As much as she loves vintage clothing and stately architecture, Kate has developed an appreciation of central heating and air conditioning. Her first series, the Victorian Bookshop Mysteries, now number four volumes set in the 1890's in London.
Britni Patterson - A native West Texan, Britni moved to NC in 2001 to attend NC State University for Chemical Engineering, a study which has proven more useful for writing mysteries than a career path. She enjoys a range of hobbies including medieval book art, armored combat, weight-lifting, Zumba, piano performance, and cooking. She's published two books in the Justice & Mercy series, Justice & Mercy, and A Thousand Deadly Kisses, the short story "The Bad Son" in Carolina Crimes, and is currently working on the third book in the series, along with a collection of short stories. Britni is chapter President.
Jacque Perkins
Reita Pendry
Patti Phillips is a former New York / north Texan, now living in the piney state of North Carolina. Her best investigative days are spent writing, cooking, traveling for research, and playing golf. Phillips writes as Detective Charlie Kerrian and also pens Book Reviews. Patti is chapter treasurer,
Karen Pullen left a perfectly good job at an engineering consulting firm to make her fortune - (er, maybe not) - as an innkeeper and a fiction writer. Her first mystery novel, Cold Feet, was published by Five Star in January 2013 and its sequel, Cold Heart, was released in January 2017. She edited the Anthony-nominated Carolina Crimes anthology, and serves on the Board of Sisters in Crime (national) as Chapter Liaison. Her story collection, Restless Dreams, was released in September 2017 from GusGus Press.
Jennifer Riley - Two decades ago, Jennifer Riley moved from Kentucky to North Carolina, where she took part in various writer courses and critique groups. She helped edit a corporate technical report and spent three weeks in Italy. On the Deep South Magazine website, she has two short stories. On Amazon, she has self-published two ebooks.
Sarah Shaber
Nancy Simpson
Joan Smyth
Camisa Spell
Tamara Ward - Amazon and Barnes & Noble bestselling author Tamara Ward's storylines and characters combine for fun, fast-paced reads. Her published novels include Private Deception, Hidden Betrayal, Storm Surge, and Silver Flashing. In her mysteries, you'll find characters who keep readers hooked, strong-willed women sleuths, and a sprinkling of humor.
Cathy Walsh
Bonnie Wisler - Bonnie is a member of SinC, RWA, and has participated in numerous other writing groups. Her first novel, Count A Hundred Stars received a 5-Star rating from both the Foreward Clarion and Midwest Book Reviews. Her love of animals, nature, travel, romance, and mystery is vividly reflected in her writing. Bonnie is retired from the federal government, works part-time for a major airline, and lives in Raleigh, North Carolina with her family.
JD Allen is an exotic adventurer disguised as a normal suburbanite in central North Carolina. Okay, maybe she's just a dyslexic with a laptop and a wild imagination. When not writing or working out, her favorite things are cooking, movies, and of course... reading. She's a sports nut and she loves a good red Zin. She holds a degree in Forensic Anthropology from THE Ohio State University. Loves her Buckeyes. She finds the clash of passionate, strong willed personalities fascinating. She's published Romantica, a little science fiction / fantasy, and is now writing mysteries. JD is chapter Vice-President.
Maria Alonso-Sierra is the author of two romantic suspense novels, The Coin and The Book of Hours. She holds a Masters in English literature and has worked as a professional dancer, singer, journalist, and literature teacher. When not writing, she roams around to discover new places to set her novels.
Sharon Bader
Judy Barillaro
Sue Barnett grew up in Beaufort, North Carolina and set her first book in the small port town. LAST KNOWN PORT is fueled by the sex and booze and rag and jazz of 1923. Sue loves historical research and often gets lost in data collecting while interviewing, collecting anecdotes, and visiting local historical associations. She currently teaches Creative Writing at Wake Technical Community College, and works as a Developmental Editor. She lives with her family in Raleigh, and is always involved in activities for kids, community outreach, or environmental projects.
Jim Breeden
Antoinette Brown is a mystery reader and writer. Her short story, "One-Cat Woman" was published in Carolina Crimes: 19 Tales of Lust, Love, and Longing. She especially enjoys historical mysteries and cozies. She lives in Apex NC with her two rescued dogs.
Susan Buck
Rick Bylina was born on a snowy night in New Jersey (or so he was told) and expects to die, "...wailing against that goodnight...," with keyboard in his lap. But for now, he lives with his wife on five wooded acres where his imagination runs free in Apex, North Carolina. Ongoing corporate downsizing convinced him to tap into his passion. He scribbled any crazy idea that crossed his mind. After gaining discipline, he wrote his debut mystery novel, “One Promise Too Many,” published in 2011. He now has four mystery novels, a #1 best-selling book of poetry, and a memoir, "Paper or Plastic? The Grocery Store Chronicles," about working as a senior citizen in a grocery store as the night cashier, published in 2016. Question: Why is publishing so hard?
Jane Cole
Edna Collins
E.B. Davis’s short stories have appeared online and in print. Chesapeake Crimes: Homicidal Holidays, included “Compromised Circumstances.” The Carolina Crimes: 19 Tales of Lust, Love, and Longing anthology contained “Ice Cream Allure,” and “Wishing for Ignorance” was chosen for A Shaker Of Margaritas: That Mysterious Woman. She blogs and interviews authors at http://writerswhokill.blogspot.com.
Barbara Dolny-Bombar - Before moving from NY to NC, Barbara Dolny-Bombar won numerous awards during a long-time career in broadcast television (Commercial and Public) and as an independent (indie) producer. As a writer, her articles and short stories have been published in local, regional, and national publications. She now works as an independent writer / photographer, does a bit of web design, and experiments as a digital artist in Warhol-esque style art. A favorite activity is people watching - she gets some of her best ideas that way.
Deborah Dunn
Nora Gaskin Esthimer - A lifelong resident of the Durham-Chapel Hill area, Nora has a Bachelor’s Degree in English with Honors in Creative Writing from UNC, and a Masters in English from the University of Washington in Seattle. She retired in 2005, after more than 24 years as a stock broker and financial advisor, to focus on writing. While Nora's first published novel, Until Proven: A Mystery in 2 Parts, is entirely fiction, the seed for it was a real murder that happened in Chapel Hill on Christmas Eve, 1963. She lives and writes in Chatham County, inspired by her native landscape, her husband, and three dogs. Her favorite word is "gratitude."
Christine Gasser
David Goldston is a life member of SinC having joined shortly before attending the 2012 Writer’s Police Academy. He is a software quality engineer and technical writer who has recently turned his eye to writing fiction, mysteries and thrillers in particular. He is currently working on his first novel.
Toni Goodyear is a former journalist and winner of the North Carolina Press Association Award for feature writing. Other past careers include freelance writing (e.g., Redbook, Bantam Books jacket copy, Fawcett Publications), public relations, market research, ghostbusting (yes, really), managing data for clinical trials, and teaching university psychology. She holds a Ph.D. in Psychology from UNC Chapel Hill. She has just completed her first cozy mystery, Trouble Brewing in Tanawha Falls.
Noelle Granger
Calvin Hall
Mary Harris's grandmother gave her a Perry Mason mystery novel to distract her for a while. When she was four years old. Which she read. This started a lifelong love affair with words. Now, no genre is safe! Although she's still hesitant about haiku. Mary is published in fiction and non-fiction and is also a screenwriter; she understands the struggle to get the idea from the head to the paper. Her main mantra is, "It's all about the story." She is a passionate believer in the Oxford comma, but allows nothing to interrupt the flow of the story. She lives in Raleigh with her family and Diggz, the best cockapoo ever.
Kathleen Heady is a native of rural Illinois, but has lived and traveled many places, including numerous trips to Great Britain and seven years living in Costa Rica. She is the author of three mystery novels, Hotel Saint Clare, The Gate House, which was a finalist for an EPIC award in 2011, and Lydia's Story. She is currently working on a Young Adult novel set in thirteenth century England, and playing around with ideas for another mystery.
Susan Herron
Elizabeth Hyland
Judy Hogan's mystery, Killer Frost, was published in September 2012. Founder of Carolina Wren Press (1976-91), she is a published poet and non-fiction writer, and has taught creative writing since 1974. In 2011 she was a finalist in the St. Martin's Malice Domestic Mystery contest. A small farmer, she lives in Moncure.
Linda Johnson is originally from Chicago and attended University of Illinois. Her first career was in advertising. After a second career in the equestrian business, Linda decided to trade riding in for writing. She writes suspense novels and short stories featuring smart, psychopathic villains who almost get away with it.
Sara Johnson lives in Durham where she teaches part time and plots mysteries while walking her goldendoodle Beaufort. Her first forensic mystery, Boiled for Blood, is currently being pitched by her agent. She is working on the next in the series which is set in New Zealand. She currently serves as chapter Program chair.
Rosemary Jarrell
Bonnie Korta
Harry Krebs
Gina Lea lives in Garner, NC where she is the Director of Learning and Development for Dunkin Donuts. Gina’s first novel Defining Destiny (2014) is women’s fiction with a mystery element. Kirkus Review called it “An ideal, frothy beach book.” Her second novel in the Destinybay series is a traditional mystery currently in edits. Her short story “The Windmills” was published in Carolina Crimes: 21 Tales of Need, Greed, and Dirty Deeds, the second TriSinC anthology. Her current work in progress is a magical realism YA mystery. Her best critics are her hubby Rob and Zuzu the Wonder Dog!
Cynthia Luhrs is the author of There Was A Little Girl. Her idea of a perfect day is no interruptions and the freedom to live in her head all day, writing to her heart's content, a glass of sweet tea next to her as she creates the next book. Of course her tiger cats frequently disrupt this oasis of serenity.
Kitty Lynn
Karen McCullough, a former editor for a series of trade publications and web designer, is also the author of more than a dozen published novels in the mystery, romantic suspense, and fantasy genres. Her publishers include Avalon Books, Harlequin, Kensington, Belle Bridge Books, and Five Star/Cengage. She's won several awards, including an Eppie Award for best fantasy novel and been a four-time Eppie finalist, a Daphne finalist, Prism finalist, Rising Star Award finalist and several others. Her short fiction has appeared in a number of anthologies and small press publications in the mystery, science fiction, and romance genres. Her most recent publications are the second in her Market Center Mysteries series, Wired for Murder, and an indie-published romantic suspense novel, Hunter’s Quest. She also has a short story in the Triangle Sisters in Crime anthology, Carolina Crimes: 21 Tales of Need, Greed and Dirty Deeds. She has three children, a bunch of grandchildren, and lives in Greensboro, NC with her husband of many years.
Liz McGuffey
Lea McLemore
Peggy Tabor Millin
Ann Mitchell graduated with a B.S. in Accounting from Appalachian State University in Boone, N.C. She's a member of several local writing groups. One of her short stories, The Game, has been published in the anthology Carolina Crimes: 19 Tales of Lust, Love and Longing. Ann is chapter Webmaven and Secretary.
Charlie Monroe
Julianne Moore has an M.F.A. in fiction writing and left school from the Ph.d. level at NYU to pursue a publishing career in the city. While working as a book editor, she began penning romance novels in her spare time, then left to write full-time. She's published 45 books for Harlequin as Jule McBride. Having always dreamed of trying her hand at mysteries, she's hard at work on one. Born and raised in West Virginia, she's lived in New York City much of her adult life, but now makes her home in North Carolina.
Ruth Moose was on the creative writing faculty at UNC for fifteen years. She published three collections of short stories and six collections of poetry. She has had a MacDowell Fellowship, some PEN awards, and an NEA Grant. Her stories have been published in the UK, Denmark, Holland, and South Africa. Ruth is the winner of the 2013 Minotaur Books / Malice Domestic Competition for Best First Traditional Mystery Novel, Doing It at the Dixie Dew.
Kate Parker grew up reading her mother's collection of mystery books, and now she can't write a story without someone being murdered. It's taken her years to convince her husband she hasn't poisoned dinner; that funny taste is because she can't cook. As much as she loves vintage clothing and stately architecture, Kate has developed an appreciation of central heating and air conditioning. Her first series, the Victorian Bookshop Mysteries, now number four volumes set in the 1890's in London.
Britni Patterson - A native West Texan, Britni moved to NC in 2001 to attend NC State University for Chemical Engineering, a study which has proven more useful for writing mysteries than a career path. She enjoys a range of hobbies including medieval book art, armored combat, weight-lifting, Zumba, piano performance, and cooking. She's published two books in the Justice & Mercy series, Justice & Mercy, and A Thousand Deadly Kisses, the short story "The Bad Son" in Carolina Crimes, and is currently working on the third book in the series, along with a collection of short stories. Britni is chapter President.
Jacque Perkins
Reita Pendry
Patti Phillips is a former New York / north Texan, now living in the piney state of North Carolina. Her best investigative days are spent writing, cooking, traveling for research, and playing golf. Phillips writes as Detective Charlie Kerrian and also pens Book Reviews. Patti is chapter treasurer,
Karen Pullen left a perfectly good job at an engineering consulting firm to make her fortune - (er, maybe not) - as an innkeeper and a fiction writer. Her first mystery novel, Cold Feet, was published by Five Star in January 2013 and its sequel, Cold Heart, was released in January 2017. She edited the Anthony-nominated Carolina Crimes anthology, and serves on the Board of Sisters in Crime (national) as Chapter Liaison. Her story collection, Restless Dreams, was released in September 2017 from GusGus Press.
Jennifer Riley - Two decades ago, Jennifer Riley moved from Kentucky to North Carolina, where she took part in various writer courses and critique groups. She helped edit a corporate technical report and spent three weeks in Italy. On the Deep South Magazine website, she has two short stories. On Amazon, she has self-published two ebooks.
Sarah Shaber
Nancy Simpson
Joan Smyth
Camisa Spell
Tamara Ward - Amazon and Barnes & Noble bestselling author Tamara Ward's storylines and characters combine for fun, fast-paced reads. Her published novels include Private Deception, Hidden Betrayal, Storm Surge, and Silver Flashing. In her mysteries, you'll find characters who keep readers hooked, strong-willed women sleuths, and a sprinkling of humor.
Cathy Walsh
Bonnie Wisler - Bonnie is a member of SinC, RWA, and has participated in numerous other writing groups. Her first novel, Count A Hundred Stars received a 5-Star rating from both the Foreward Clarion and Midwest Book Reviews. Her love of animals, nature, travel, romance, and mystery is vividly reflected in her writing. Bonnie is retired from the federal government, works part-time for a major airline, and lives in Raleigh, North Carolina with her family.
