Shirley Hailstock, best-selling, award-winning novelist, holds a bachelors degree in Chemistry from Howard University in Washington, D.C. and an MBA in Chemical Marketing from Fairleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck, NJ, Shirley's initial wish was to join the space program.

Shirley has been a member of the Romance Writers of America since 1988 and served on the national board Regional Director, RITA Contest Chairperson, Golden Heart Contest Chairperson, Publicity Chairperson and Industry Statistic Chairperson and president. Romance Writers of America is the largest genre writing organization in the world. Shirley was previously president of the New Jersey Romance Writers and she is an officer of Women Writers of Color. She writes contemporary and historical romance and mainstream women's fiction.

Living in Central New Jersey, Shirley has been an Adjunct Professor of Accounting at Rutgers University, New Brunswick campus and taught Novel Writing at Middlesex County College. She enjoys traveling to many of her settings and if there is time at the end of the day she likes to sew, play tennis and read.