ABOUT MADDIE JAMES

Fiction with a pulse—small towns, big drama, perhaps a dash of danger, and a guaranteed satisfying ending.

Welcome to the world of Maddie James—where romance comes in many flavors, from sweet to steamy to spicy, and happily-ever-afters are always guaranteed.

Maddie writes emotional, page-turning love stories rooted in small-town life, often with a twist of suspense, a dash of danger, or even a ghost or two. Her books span contemporary westerns, romantic suspense, and paranormal romance, and feature cowboys, chefs, spunky heroines, and the kind of heroes you don’t forget.

With over 70 titles published, Maddie has built a loyal base of readers who love strong women, rugged men, and small towns with big secrets. Whether you’re looking for a standalone escape or a bingeable series, there’s a Maddie James romance waiting to sweep you off your feet.

Take a look around, pick your heat level, and settle in. Love always wins here—and it’s usually pretty fun getting there.

As Madeleine Jaimes, Maddie writes stories set against emotionally rich backdrops that invite readers to pause, reflect, and feel seen. Her popular Tuckaway Bay series reflects her passion for writing powerful themes, layered characters, and small-town stories where every woman’s journey matters. 

Award-winning Author

Maddie's first book, THE WILD WEST (Rawhide & Roses), a Kensington Precious Gems romance, received a Calico Trails Cameo Award. RED: A SEDUCTION TALE, claimed first place as the Romance Book Scene's favorite novella of the year. THE COWBOY'S SECRET BABY was a 2021 finalist in the Imaginareum Imadjinn Awards, and BEACH THERAPY was an Imadjinn finalist in 2025. BEACH THERAPY also received the NN Light's Book Heaven Book Award for Best Beach Read in 2024, and was a Holt Medallion Award and George Romance Writers Maggie Award finalist in 2025.

Her writing book, DISCOVER YOUR WRITE PATH TO PUBLISHING SUCCESS finaled in the 2024 NN Light Book Award's nonfiction category.

Affair de Coeur said Maddie, “shows a special talent for traditional romance,” and RT Book Reviews claimed, “James deftly combines romance and suspense, so hop on for an exhilarating ride.”

Originally traditionally published, Maddie James wrote for over ten years honing her fiction craft (that's the way we did it back then, and with typewriters!) before selling her first novel in 1996, while also publishing short fiction and non-fiction articles and news pieces. In 2010, she published her first independently published novel, launching her own publishing house, Turquoise Morning, LLC, now DBA as Jacobs Ink, LLC, where she  published eighty authors, and over 500 books through 2015. When the publishing industry shifted, she closed the house to authors, but continues to publish her own works under the imprint.

"Working with authors was a highlight of my career," Maddie said. "Together, we created published, distributed, and promoted so many beautiful books and fascinating stories."

While publishing fiction full-time was always a goal, her day-to-day reality was teaching. While spending forty years working in education systems—twenty years in public school and twenty years non-profit work—she continued to write. In academia (penned under her legal name) she has published dozens of non-fiction works, from white papers to journal articles, from book chapters to books, and curricula. Happily retired  from her work in education, writing is now her full-time day job.

Maddie's forty years of writing and publishing experiences, in the traditional, academic, and independent publishing industries, have positioned her well to work with and support new authors by sharing content, conducting workshops and courses, and designing cover art.

While writing has long been her passion, Maddie considers raising her two awesome, beautiful, and wonderfully independent children as her greatest accomplishments.

Fiction Bibliography
Non-fiction Bibliography

Bold Journey Magazine Interview
New In Books Interview for The Me I Left Behind
New In Books Interview for I Wish You Love
Author Interview at NN Light's Book Heaven