McReynolds, Glenna 1953-
(Tara Janzen, Glenna Jean McReynolds)

PERSONAL:

Born March 25, 1953, in Lewiston, ID; daughter of Richard Lloyd and Lois Gillis; married Stanley Ryan McReynolds, September 21, 1974; children: Kathleen Kleir and Chase Ryan. Education: Studied at Colorado Mountain College.

ADDRESSES:

Home—CO. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Bantam Books Publicity, 1745 Broadway, New York, NY 10019. E-mail—[email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected].

CAREER:

Writer.

MEMBER:

Colorado Romance Writers Association, Colorado Authors League, Romance Writers of America, Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers.

AWARDS, HONORS:

RITA Award, Romance Writers of America, 1994, for Avenging Angel; career achievement award, Romantic Times, 1994.

WRITINGS:

NOVELS

South's Honor, Loveswept (New York, NY), 1987.

Thieves in the Night, Bantam Books (New York, NY), 1987.

Stevie Lee, Loveswept (New York, NY), 1989.

Dateline: Kydd and Rios, Loveswept (New York, NY), 1990.

Blue Dalton, Loveswept (New York, NY), 1990.

Outlaw Carson, Loveswept (New York, NY), 1991.

Moonlight and Shadows, Loveswept (New York, NY), 1991.

A Piece of Heaven, Loveswept (New York, NY), 1992.

Shameless, Loveswept (New York, NY), 1992.

The Courting Cowboy, Loveswept (New York, NY), 1993.

Avenging Angel, Loveswept (New York, NY), 1993.

River of Eden, Bantam Books (New York, NY), 2002.

"DRAGON DANIEL" SERIES

The Dragon and the Dove, Loveswept (New York, NY), 1994.

Dragon's Eden, Loveswept (New York, NY), 1995.

"CELTIC SAGA" SERIES

The Chalice and the Blade, Bantam Books (New York, NY), 1997.

Dream Stone, Bantam Books (New York, NY), 1998.

Prince of Time, Bantam Books (New York, NY), 2000.

UNDER PSEUDONYM TARA JANZEN

Crazy Hot, Dell (New York, NY), 2005.

Crazy Cool, Dell (New York, NY), 2005.

Crazy Wild, Dell (New York, NY), 2006.

Crazy Kisses, Dell (New York, NY), 2006.

Crazy Sweet, Dell (New York, NY), 2006.

Crazy Love, Dell (New York, NY), 2006.

SIDELIGHTS:

Glenna McReynolds is a writer of medieval period books and romances who also publishes under the pseudonym Tara Janzen. McReynolds is a member of several writers organizations in Colorado, including Colorado Romance Writers Association, Colorado Authors League, Romance Writers of America, and Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers. Several of her books have won awards, including a RITA from the Romance Writers of America and a career achievement award from the Romantic Times in 1994.

In 1997 McReynolds began the "Celtic Saga" series with The Chalice and the Blade. The sequel, Dream Stone, takes place in twelfth-century Wales at the time of an apocalyptic battle between good and evil and introduces twenty-seven characters, as well as two dragons, all before chapter four. A critic in Publishers Weekly commented that despite the "slow-starting" opening and "disappointing" conclusion, there were "attentive descriptions and a story line that begs to be transformed into a video game." Writing on the Romance Reader Web site, Meredith Moore opened her review stating: "Of the many wonderful aspects of Glenna McReynolds' writing, one of the best is her ability to create vividly imagined worlds." In the final book of the trilogy, Prince of Time, McReynolds tells her story across two different worlds, one of medieval Wales, and the other with Medieval Welshmen struggling to save their world in a land set in the future. Harriet Klausner, reviewing the book on AllReaders.com, called the final book "exciting," adding that "the story line in the future is cleverly designed to make [the hero] a rogue struggling with his displacement."

In 2002 McReynolds published the freestanding novel River of Eden. In the depths of the Amazon jungle, Dr. Annie Parrish of the River Basin Coalition teams up with ethnobotanist Will Sanchez Travers to travel down river. Secrets are kept, but passions run loose in this adventure-romance novel. Reviews were positive. Shelley Mosley, reviewing the book in Library Journal, credited McReynolds for employing "smart, sassy dialogue and witty style." In an AllReaders.com review, Klausner labeled it "a strong adventure tale with two wonderful superstars." Klausner went on to say that McReynolds gives "quite a reading experience for the fans of a romantic adventure thriller."

Writing under the pseudonym Tara Janzen, McReynolds published Crazy Hot in 2005. This book begins with a kidnapped retired professor's granddaughter searching for him. What she finds, however, is that she is being chased by a group of thugs and by a childhood love-that-got-away who ends up providing protection and plenty of heat for romance readers throughout the book. In a Best Reviews article, Kristi Ahlers called it "a very sensual but entertaining romance with really larger than life characters." A Publishers Weekly reviewer wrote, however, that "this over-the-top romp fails in two key areas: believability and characterization." Klausner, in a separate Best Reviews article, stated that "this action-packed thriller never slows down."

The sequel, Crazy Cool, was published several months later. When Christian, a team member of the Special Defense Force first introduced in Crazy Hot, is reassigned from his post in Colombia to guard an ex-lover at a garden auction, sparks fly again amidst a murder intending to frame him. Rosie Bindra, writing in Fresh Fiction, called Crazy Cool "a wickedly exciting and sexy follow-up" novel. Booklist contributor Mary K. Chelton plainly labeled it "a great read." And concluding a Best Reviews article, Klausner stated: "Fans will enjoy this wild ride."

In the third installment, Crazy Wild, Creed Rivera falls in love with the woman he is sent to apprehend in the midst of a potential terrorist attack in the U.S. heartland. Klausner, in an AllReaders.com review, rated this book on a par with the others as "a wild romantic suspense." Ahlers acknowledged: "Although this is book three in a series, I found it to be a strong stand alone read." Chelton, reviewing the novel in Booklist, stated: "Despite its implausibility, wild nonstop action, an interesting subplot … and great sex scenes" make Crazy Wild "irresistible."

The fourth book, Crazy Kisses, features Kid Chronopolous and his ex-lover, Nikki. Meeting him in Panama, their love affair begins again while they are pursued by a Colombian drug lord and his gang. Ahlers, writing in Best Reviews, called this "another action-packed romp full of larger than life characters." Klausner, on the same Web site, wrote that, aside from the "great romantic story line, there is the usual danger and thrills as lethal thugs come calling in [this] stupendous suspense." Chelton's review in Booklist categorized "the high-action plot, the savage-but-tender hero, and the wonderfully sensuous sex scenes" as McReynolds' "trademarks."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Booklist, February 15, 2005, Mary K. Chelton, review of Crazy Wild, p. 52; October 1, 2005, Mary K. Chelton, review of Crazy Cool, p. 41; March 1, 2006, Mary K. Chelton, review of Crazy Kisses, p. 75.

Library Journal, February 15, 2002, Shelley Mosley, review of River of Eden, p. 130.

Publishers Weekly, August 11, 1997, review of The Chalice and the Blade, p. 391; October 19, 1998, review of Dream Stone, p. 60; November 6, 2000, review of Prince of Time, p. 74; August 8, 2005, review of Crazy Hot, p. 218.

ONLINE

A Romance Review,http://www.aromancereview.com/ (June 30, 2006), author interview.

AllReaders.com, http://www.allreaders.com (June 30, 2006), review of Crazy Hot; Harriet Klausner, review of Prince of Time; Harriet Klausner, review of River of Eden.

Best Reviews,http://thebestreviews.com/ (August 19, 2005), Harriet Klausner, review of Crazy Hot; (October 7, 2005), Harriet Klausner, review of Crazy Cool; (March 9, 2006), Kristi Ahlers, review of Crazy Hot; (April 25, 2006), Harriet Klausner, review of Crazy Kisses; (April 25, 2006), Kristi Ahlers, review of Crazy Kisses; (May 9, 2006), Kristi Ahlers, review of Crazy Wild; (May 16, 2006), Harriet Klausner, review of Crazy Wild.

BookPage,http://www.bookpage.com/ (June 30, 2006), Sandy Huseby, review of Prince of Time.

Fresh Fiction,http://freshfiction.com/ (September 15, 2005), Rosie Bindra, review of Crazy Cool.

Glenna McReynolds Home Page,http://www.glennamcreynolds.com (June 30, 2006).

Romance Reader,http://www.theromancereader.com/ (June 30, 2006), Meredith Moore, review of Dream Stone; Meredith Moore, review of Prince of Time.

Tara Janzen Home Page,http://www.tarajanzen.com (June 30, 2006).