Current Works and Events

In her past life, Xenia Navarre was a U.S. diplomat who worked with a government agency on weapons of mass destruction issues. Among her many fascinating experiences in the line of duty, she has been trapped in an elevator in one of the world’s most dangerous nuclear power plants. Shrouded in protective clothing, she has wandered the corridors of facilities once used to churn out metric tons of nerve agent and other nasties. In this capacity, she has met many of the world’s most dangerous men. A fluent Russian speaker, Xenia has traveled to many unusual places (North Korea and Belarus among others), lived in Moscow for several years, and enjoyed many other exotic and unique experiences while working to make the world a safer place.

Xenia brings this unusual background to her writing career. She writes dark medieval and Renaissance romance spiced with intrigue, as well as contemporary romantic suspense set in Russia, inspired loosely by her “other life.” She is a current MFA student in the University of Southern Maine’s Stonecoast Popular Fiction program–one of the few MFA programs in the country that allows students to earn their degrees writing “commercial fiction,” including romance.

Xenia is also a graduate of the Robert McKee Story Seminar, the Donald Maass “Writing the Breakout Novel” workshop, the Smithsonian Institution’s course titled “Conversations with Historical Fiction Writers,” and two Gotham Writers Workshops on romance. Since 2004, Xenia has been an active member of Romance Writers of America. She’s a current member of the Music City Romance Writers, and participates in several online writing groups. She maintains a website at www.XeniaNavarre.com

Xenia’s academic degrees include an M.A. in National Security Policy from The George Washington University, and a B.A. in International Relations from Michigan State. She currently lives in a Tuscan-style villa with a small vineyard in the Pacific Northwest, along with her husband John, a former senior submarine officer. Also sharing the residence are Pandora and Delilah, their two Siberian cats!

Xenia’s writing awards include:

THE DEVIL’S VIRTUE
2009 RWA Golden Heart finalist
First Place, RWA Golden Pen Contest
First Place, Music City Romance Writers Melody of Love Contest
First Place, Connecticut Romance Writers Connections Contest
First Place, First Coast Romance Writers Beacon Contest
First Place, West Houston Romance Writers Emily Award for Excellence
Second Place, Rose City Romance Writers Golden Rose Contest
Honorable Mention, Georgia Romance Writers Maggie Contest
Honorable Mention, Orange City Romance Writers Orange Rose Contest

THE DEVIL’S BARGAIN
First Place, Georgia Romance Writers Maggie Contest
Second Place, From the Heart Romance Writers Golden Gateway Contest
Second Place, Spacecoast Authors of Romance Launching A Star Contest
Third Place, Heart of Denver Romance Writers Molly Contest