Romance novels 101: top 20 romance novelists today

The following article is just too good to not re-post.  I love Stephanie's articles and you'll see why.

Romance novels 101: top 20 romance novelists today
Examiner.com article - Written by Stephanie Giancola
(See http://tinyurl.com/memxz9)
For readers new to the genre, navigating their way around the aisles filled with thousands of romance novels and hundreds of best selling authors can be overwhelmng.  Starting with the best of the best-selling authors today is one way to make some smart choices and be introduced to top notch entertainment in romance fiction.
Here's a list of today's 20 best romance novelists according to sales, industry awards and long-standing careers (for a complete list of best sellers go to the RWA website):

The Queen:
Nora Roberts (pictured at right) is the number one romance writing diva on everyone's list with more number one novels than any other romance novelist, including this week's number one New York Times hardcover best seller, Black Hills.  Ms. Roberts, aka NR to her fans, has won multiple RITA awards from the Romance Writers of America (RWA).  The RWA in fact has an award called the Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award given each year to an author with a significant career of more than 15 years who continues to contribute to the genre of romance fiction.  With more than 200 titles to her credit, no one has contributed more than NR.  She's written short contemporary category romances, single title contemporary romances, contemporary romance with paranormal elements and romantic suspense.  Readers won't have trouble finding her books on the shelves in almost any store.

The Queen's court:
Jo Beverly - Bestselling five-time RITA award winning author of historical romances
Suzanne Brockman - NYT bestselling RITA award winning author of romantic suspense including the current NYT bestseler Dark of Night
Sandra Brown - #1 NYT bestselling author of romantic suspense including the upcoming release Smash Cut
Catherine Coulter - #1 NYT bestselling author of historical romances and romantic suspense including Knockout, currently at #14 on the NYT hardcover list
Christine Feehan - #1 NYT bestselling, multiple award winning author of paranormal romance including Hidden Currents, currently at #3 on the NYT paperback list
Jennifer Green - 2009 Recipient of Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award, contemporary romances
Linda Howard - NYT Best selling author of romantic suspense including the current NYT bestseller, BurnBronwyn Jameson - Bestselling and award winning author of contemporary category (short) romances
Lisa Kleypas - NYT best selling and RITA award winning author of historical and contemporary romances
Jane Ann Krentz - NYT best selling author of contemporary, historical and paranormal romances
Johanna Lindsey - Over 58 million copies of her historical romance novels sold world-wide, including A Rogue of My Own, an NYT bestseller currently on the shelf
Debbie Macomber - #1 NYT bestselling, RITA award winning author of contemporary romances with more than 100 million copies in print including NYT bestseler Right Next Door
Linda Lael Miller - NYT bestselling, RWA Lifetime Achievement Award winning author of historical, contemporary, paranormal, thriller and western romances
Carla Neggers - 2009 RITA Finalist, current NYT Hardcover bestseller, The Mist, romantic suspense
Diana Palmer - Bestselling author of more than 115 historical and contemporary romances
Susan Elizabeth Philips (pictured at left) - #1 NYT bestselling, multi-RITA award winning, Lifetime Achievement award winning author of contemporary romances
Mary Jo Putney - NYT bestselling, RITA award winning author of historical romances including current NYT bestseller Loving a Lost Lord
Jodi Thomas - NYT bestselling, five-time RITA award winning author of historical romances
Sherryl Woods - NYT bestselling author of over 100 novels, writes contemporary romances including the current NYT bestseller, Harbor Lights.