Jodi Thomas

Jodi Thomas is a fifth-generation Texan, whose grandmother was born in Texas in a covered wagon. She grew up in Amarillo, Texas and moved to Lubbock to attend Texas Tech University. She has a master's degree in Family Studies. Thomas married Tom Koumalats and spent several years travelling while he served in the United States Army. In 1984, worried that teacher salaries would be insufficient to save for her children's college education, Thomas began writing. By 1988, Thomas had begun writing in earnest after work. By 1991, Thomas was able to quit teaching to become a full-time writer. Her novels have been translated into at least six languages. Several of her novels have appeared on the New York Times Bestseller List or the USA Today Bestseller List. In 2003, Thomas became the writer-in-residence at West Texas A&M University. She was only the second writer-in-residence to be appointed. ==Books==

Thomas began writing historical romances in the early 1980s because she was dissatisfied with the ones she had read. In many cases, the romances she picked up contained historical errors or relationships that she thought were implausible. Her own novels draw on family stories of living in Texas, as well as months of research for each. The majority of her novels are set in Texas, and many contain the word "Texas" or "Texan" in the title. Although most of her novels are historical or contemporary romances, with Widows of Wichita County Thomas branched into mainstream women's fiction. ==Awards==

• 1988 - National Press Women's Novel of the Year, Beneath the Texas Sky • 1990 - (Texas) Panhandle Professional Writers Best Novel, Northern Star • 1990 - Oklahoma Writers Federation, Inc. best novel, Northern Star • 1991 - Romance Writers of America (RWA) RITA Award for Best Historical Romance, The Tender Texan • 1994 - Romance Writers of America RITA Award for Best Historical Romance, ''To Tame a Texan's Heart'' • 1998 - Romantic Time Magazine Career Achievement Award for outstanding contributions to women's fiction over the past ten years • 1999 - Romantic Times Magazine Career Achievement Award for Outstanding Fiction • 2002 - Named a Texas Tech University Distinguished Alumna • 2005 - National Reader's Choice Award, Finding Mary Blaine • 2006 - Romance Writers of America (RWA) RITA Award,''The Texan's Reward'' • 2006 - Inducted into the Romance Writers of America Hall of Fame ==Bibliography==

A 10-part television series entitled Ransom Canyon began production in 2024 for Netflix. ==References==