Mary Jo Putney (born in

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

) is an American

author In legal discourse, an author is the creator of an original work that has been published, whether that work exists in written, graphic, visual, or recorded form. The act of creating such a work is referred to as authorship. Therefore, a sculpt ...

of over twenty-five

historical History is the systematic study of the past, focusing primarily on the human past. As an academic discipline, it analyses and interprets evidence to construct narratives about what happened and explain why it happened. Some theorists categ ...

and contemporary

romance novels A romance or romantic novel is a genre fiction novel that primarily focuses on the relationship and romantic love between two people, typically with an emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending. Authors who have contributed to the developme ...

. She has also published

romantic fantasy Romantic fantasy, or "romantasy", is a Genre, subgenre of fantasy fiction that combines fantasy and Romance novel, romance, describing a fantasy story using many of the elements and conventions of the chivalric romance genre. One of the key featur ...

novels as M.J. Putney. Her books are known for their unusual subject matter, including alcoholism, death, and domestic abuse.

Biography

Putney was born and raised in

. She attended

Syracuse University Syracuse University (informally 'Cuse or SU) is a Private university, private research university in Syracuse, New York, United States. It was established in 1870 with roots in the Methodist Episcopal Church but has been nonsectarian since 1920 ...

, earning degrees in English literature and Industrial design. She served as the art editor of ''The New Internationalist'' magazine in

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

and worked as a designer in

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

before settling in

Baltimore, Maryland Baltimore is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the List of United States ...

in 1980 to run her own freelance graphic design business. After purchasing her first computer for her business, Putney realized that it would make writing very easy. She began work on her first novel, a traditional Regency romance, which sold in one week. Signet liked the novel so much that it offered Putney a three-book contract immediately. In 1987 that first novel, ''The Diabolical Baron'', was published. Since then, she has published twenty-nine books (as of January 2007). Her books have been ranked on the national bestseller lists of the ''New York Times'', ''USAToday'', and ''Publishers Weekly.'' The vast majority of her works have been historical romance, although she did write three contemporary romances. She has also begun writing fantasy romance and romantic fantasy as M.J. Putney. According to IUP (Indiana University of Pennsylvania) Magazine, Mary Jo Putney wed John Rekus (IUP alumni 1990), a consulting engineer, on April 14, 2012 at the castle at Maryvale. They reside at their estate in Ruxton, Maryland along with their four cats.

Awards

Putney has won the

Romance Writers of America Romance Writers of America (RWA) is an American non-profit writers' association founded in 1980. Its mission is to "advance the professional and common business interests of career-focused romance writers through networking and advocacy and by inc ...

RITA Award twice, for ''Dancing on the Wind'' and ''The Rake and the Reformer'' and has been a RITA finalist nine times. She is on the Romance Writers of America Honor Roll for bestselling authors, and has been awarded two ''Romantic Times'' Career Achievement Awards and four Golden Leaf Awards.

Bibliography

As M.J. Putney

Dark Mirror

*''Dark Mirror'' (2011) *''Dark Passage'' (2011) *''Dark Destiny'' (2012)

As Mary Jo Putney

Single novels

*''Lady of Fortune'' (1988) *''Uncommon Vows'' (1991) *''Carousel of Hearts'' (1992) *''Dearly Beloved'' (1990) *''The Bargain'' (1999) (revised from ''The Would-be Widow'' (1988))

Davenport Series

#''The Diabolical Baron'' (1987) #''The Rake'' (1998) (revised from ''The Rake and the Reformer'' (1989)) #"Sunshine for Christmas" in ''A Regency Christmas II'' (1990)

Bride Trilogy

#''The Wild Child'' (1998) #''The China Bride'' (2000) #''The Bartered Bride'' (2002)

Silk Trilogy

#''Silk and Shadows'' (1991) #''Silk and Secrets'' (1992) #''Veils of Silk'' (1992) #''Christmas Silks'' (2024)

Fallen Angels Series

#''Thunder and Roses'' (1993) (reissued in Great Britain as ''Fallen Angel'' (2009)) #''Petals in the Storm'' (1993) (revised from ''The Controversial Countess'' (1989)) #''Dancing on the Wind'' (1994) #''Angel Rogue'' (1995) (revised from ''The Rogue and the Runaway'' (1990)) #''Shattered Rainbows'' (1996) #''River of Fire'' (1996) #''One Perfect Rose'' (1997)

Circle of Friends Series

#''The Burning Point'' (2000) #''The Spiral Path'' (2002) # "A Holiday Fling" in ''Christmas Revels'' (2002) #''Twist of Fate'' (2003)

Guardian Series

#"The Alchemical Marriage" in ''Irresistible Forces'' (2004) #''A Kiss of Fate'' (2004) #''Stolen Magic'' (2005) (as M.J. Putney) #''A Distant Magic'' (2006) #"The Tuesday Enchantress" in ''The Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romance'' (2009) #"The White Rose of Scotland" in ''Chalice of Roses'' (2010) reissued as ''Unseen Magic'' (2024) #"The Demon Dancer" in '' Songs of Love and Death'' (2010)

Stone Saint Series

#''The Marriage Spell'' (2006)

Lost Lords Series

#''Loving a Lost Lord'' (2009) #''Never Less than a Lady'' (2010) #''Nowhere Near Respectable'' (2011) #''No Longer a Gentleman'' (2012) #''Sometimes a Rogue'' (2013) #''Not Quite A Wife'' (2014) #''Not Always A Saint'' (2015)

Rogues Redeemed Series

#''Once a Soldier'' (2016) #''Once a Rebel'' (2017) #''Once a Scoundrel'' (2018) #''Once a Spy'' (2019) #''Once Dishonored'' (2020) #''Once a Laird'' (2021)

Dangerous Gifts

#''Silver Lady'' (2023) #''Golden Lord'' (2024)

Collections

*''Christmas Revels'' (2002) includes 5 novellas: Sunshine for Christmas, The Christmas Cuckoo, The Christmas Tart, The Black Beast of Belleterre, and A Holiday Fling * ''Dangerous to Know'' (2007) includes the novel ''The Diabolical Baron'' (1987) and the novella Mad, Bad, and Dangerous to Know * ''Christmas Mischief'' (2010) includes 3 novellas: Sunshine for Christmas, The Christmas Cuckoo, and The Christmas Tart

Omnibus in Collaboration

*"The Christmas Cuckoo" in ''A Regency Christmas'' (1991) (with

Mary Balogh Mary Balogh (born Mary Jenkins on 24 March 1944) is a Welsh-Canadian novelist writing historical romance, born and raised in Swansea. In 1967, she moved to Canada to start a teaching career, married a local coroner and settled in Kipling, Sask ...

, Sandra Heath, Melinda McRae and Edith Layton) *"The Christmas Tart" in ''A Regency Christmas IV'' (1992) (with

, Marjorie Farrell, Sandra Heath and Emma Lange) *"The Black Beast of Belleterre" in ''A Victorian Christmas'' (1992)(with Edith Layton, Betina Krahn, Patricia Gaffney and Patricia Rice) reissued in ''Christmas Roses'' (2013) *"Mad, Bad and Dangerous to Know" in ''Rakes and Rogues'' (1993) (with

, Melinda McRae, Anita Mills and Maura Seger) reissued in ''Captured Hearts'' (1999) (with

, Edith Layton, Patricia Rice and

Joan Wolf Joan Wolf (born 1951 in Bronx, New York) is an American writer of romance novels. Wolf grew up in the Bronx, New York. She obtained a full scholarship to pursue her bachelor's degree at Mercy College followed by a Master in English and Comparat ...

) *"The Wedding of the Century" in ''Promised Brides'' (1994) (with Kristin James and Julie Tetel) reissued in ''Bride by Arrangement'' (2000) (with Merline Lovelace and

Gayle Wilson Gayle Edlund Wilson (born November 24, 1942) is an American business professional, community activist, and the former first lady of California (1991–1999). She is married to former California governor and senator Pete Wilson, with whom sh ...

) *"The Devil's Spawn" in ''Dashing and Dangerous'' (1995) (with

, Edith Layton, Melinda McRae and Anita Mills) *''"Goldspun Promises" / "No Brighter Dream" / "Dancing on the Wind"'' (1995) (with Elizabeth Gregg and

Katherine Kingsley Katherine Kingsley (born 24 December 1982) is an English actress. Early life Born and raised in Cambridge and schooled at Parkside Community College and Long Road Sixth Form College, Kingsley moved to London to study with the English National O ...

) *"Dangerous Gifts" in ''Faery Magic'' (1996) (with

Jo Beverley Mary Josephine Beverley (née Dunn; 22 September 1947 – 23 May 2016) was a prolific English-Canadian writer of historical and contemporary romance novels from 1988 to 2016. Her works have been translated into several languages, and she has r ...

, Karen Harbaugh and Barbara Samuel) reissued as ''Beware Faery Gifts'' (2025) *"The Best Husband Money Can Buy" in ''Stocking Full of Joy'' (1997) (with

Jill Barnett Jill Barnett is a New York Times best-selling American author of women's fiction and romance novels. In 1988, Jill Barnett sold her first novel, ''The Heart's Haven'', to Pocket Books. It was published two years later, and spent three weeks o ...

, Justine Dare, Susan King) *"Avalon" in ''In Our Dreams'' (1998) (with

Ruth Glick Ruth Glick (; born April 27, 1942) is an American writer of cookbooks, romance and young adult novels. She has written novels under the pseudonym Rebecca York; until 1997 these were written in collaboration with Eileen Buckholtz. Biography Rut ...

, Barbara Cummings, Courtney Henke, and Corey McFadden) *"The Stargazer's Familiar" in ''A Constellation of Cats'' (2002) (with

Andre Norton Andre Alice Norton (born Alice Mary Norton, February 17, 1912 – March 17, 2005) was an American writer of science fiction and fantasy, who also wrote works of historical and contemporary fiction. She wrote primarily under the pen na ...

Elizabeth Ann Scarborough Elizabeth Ann Scarborough (born March 23, 1947) is an American writer of science fiction and fantasy and Registered Nurse who lives in Port Townsend, Washington. She has published over 40 novels, as well as collaborating with Anne McCaffrey on ...

Jody Lynn Nye Jody Lynn Nye (born 1957) is an American science fiction writer. She is the author or co-author of approximately forty published novels and more than 100 short stories. She has specialized in science fiction or fantasy action novels and humor. H ...

Kristine Kathryn Rusch Kristine Kathryn Rusch (born June 4, 1960) is an American writer and editor. She writes under various pseudonyms in multiple genres, including science fiction, fantasy, mystery, romance, and mainstream. Rusch won the Hugo Award for Best Nove ...

Mickey Zucker Reichert Mickey Zucker Reichert (born as Miriam Susan Zucker in 1962) is an American fantasy fiction author of several best selling novels. Personal life Reichert is a pediatrician, and holds a Doctorate of Medicine (M.D.). She is from a town in Iowa. ...

, and others) reissued in ''The Journey Home'' (2005)(with

Catherine Asaro Catherine Ann Asaro (born November 6, 1955) is an American science fiction and fantasy author, singer and teacher. She is best known for her books about the Ruby Dynasty, called the Saga of the Skolian Empire. Biography Catherine Asaro was b ...

, Diane Chamberlain, Mallory Kane, Mary Kirk, Candice Kohl, Lucy Grijalva, Linda Madl, Patricia Rice, CB Scott, and

Rebecca York Rebecca () appears in the Hebrew Bible as the wife of Isaac and the mother of Jacob and Esau. According to biblical tradition, Rebecca's father was Bethuel the Aramean from Paddan Aram, also called Aram-Naharaim. Rebecca's brother was Laban th ...

) *"A Dragon's Tale" in ''Bewitched, Bothered and BeVampyred'' (2005) (with

Gena Showalter Gena Showalter (born 1975 in Oklahoma) is an American author in the genres of Romance novel#Contemporary romance, contemporary romance, Romance novel#Paranormal romance, paranormal romance, and young adult fiction, young adult. Showalter sold he ...

, Mary Janice Davidson, Alesia Holliday, Susan Grant, Patricia Rice and

Vicki Lewis Thompson Vicki Lewis Thompson (born 11 October 1950 in United States) is an American writer of over seventy romance novels. She has also been published under the pseudonyms Cory Kenyon and Corey Keaton with Mary Tate Engels. Biography Vicki Lewis wa ...

) *"The Dragon and the Dark Knight" in ''Dragon Lovers'' (2007) (with

, Karen Harbaugh and Barbara Samuel) *"She Stoops to Wenchdom" in ''Mischief and Mistletoe'' (2012) (with

, Joanna Bourne, Patricia Rice, Nicola Cornick, Cara Elliott, Anne Gracie, and Susan King) *"One Wicked Winter Night" in ''Seduction on a Snowy Night'' (2019) (with Madeline Hunter and

Sabrina Jeffries Sabrina Jeffries (born 1958) is an American author of romance novels, who also writes under the pen names Deborah Martin and Deborah Nicholas. ''Entertainment Weekly'' calls her "one of the long-reigning leading voices in historical romance." Ea ...

)

References and sources

External links

Mary Jo Putney's Official Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Putney, Mary Jo 20th-century American novelists 21st-century American novelists American women novelists American romantic fiction writers Living people RITA Award winners Syracuse University alumni Year of birth missing (living people) American women romantic fiction writers 20th-century American women writers 21st-century American women writers Novelists from New York (state)