Hosts

The RSJ 2014 Committee

HOST AUTHORS

Farrah Rochon

A native of south Louisiana, Farrah Rochon officially began her writing career while waiting in between classes in the student lounge at Xavier University of Louisiana. After earning her Bachelors of Science degree and a Masters of Arts from Southeastern Louisiana University, Farrah decided to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming a published novelist. She was named Shades of Romance Magazine’s Best New Author of 2007. Her debut novel, Deliver Me, the first in her Holmes Brothers series, garnered rave reviews, earning Farrah several SORMAG Readers’ Choice Awards.

In September 2010, Farrah joined the Harlequin Kimani Romance family with the launch of her new series that follows the life of the fictional New York Sabers football team. The second book in the Sabers series, I’ll Catch You, was nominated for the prestigious RITA Award given by the Romance Writers of America, and the first book in her Bayou Dreams series, A Forever Kind of Love, was a 2012 RT Book Reviews Reviewer’s Choice Award nominee.

When she is not writing in her favorite coffee shop, Farrah spends most of her time reading her favorite romance novels, hanging around on Twitter, and trying to attend as many Broadway shows as her budget will allow. An admitted sports fanatic, Farrah feeds her addiction to football by watching New Orleans Saints games on Sunday afternoons.

Shelia Goss

Shelia M. Goss grew up in Shreveport, LA. The national best-selling author and screenwriter has over sixteen books in print. She writes in multiple genres, including romance, women’s fiction, suspense, Christian fiction and young adult. USA Today says, “Goss has an easy, flowing style with her prose…” Her book, Delilah, was a 2012 Emma Award Finalist.  She also writes under the pen name Sparkle and has a young adult series: The Sweet Sixteen Diaries. The first book in the series is Sade’s Secrets, where readers will delve into the dynamics of a mother/daughter relationship. Crystal’s Crush is the second book in the series. There’s nothing sweet about turning sixteen as Crystal quickly finds out in this edgy tale of drama, intrigue and teenage love.

Besides writing fiction, Shelia is a freelance writer. She’s also an Essence Magazine best selling author, the recipient of three Shades of Romance Magazine Readers Choice Multi-Cultural Awards and honored as a Literary Diva: The Top 100 Most Admired African American Women in Literature.

Although Shelia has a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from Southern University in Baton Rouge, LA, her passion for writing has always been there. Shelia decided to pursue her life-long dream after being down-sized from a fortune 500 company. Her aunt is credited for giving Shelia her first African-American romance novel and she’s been an avid romance reader ever since.