Mina Beckett writes sexy, emotional small-town romances where rugged cowboys fall hard and love always finds a way—no matter how messy or complicated. Born in Tennessee, Mina's heart beats for wide-open landscapes, tight-knit communities, and characters who fight for love even when the odds are stacked against them.
When she’s not writing, you’ll find her painting in oils, wrangling animals on her Appalachian farm, or dreaming up her next swoon-worthy cowboy. Her stories have been featured in Woman’s World, Sasee, and Micromance magazines under her sweet romance pen name, Shelby James.
Mina is also the founder of CurtissLynn Publishing and shares behind-the-scenes glimpses, cover reveals, and book news in her Romantic Reader Newsletter on Substack.
Come for the cowboys. Stay for the heart.
"A lifelong romance enthusiast, I began my love affair with the genre at fifteen, consuming every Harlequin romance I could find. With authors like Elizabeth Lowell and Diana Palmer shaping my literary tastes, my path to becoming a romance writer was inadvertently set, even though it wasn't my childhood dream.
My early career goals were split between buisness and an interest in architecture. I relished crafting stories in high school (thanks, Mrs. Mendez!), but also loved designing things with my hands. After earning degrees in technology, education and business, my passion for writing resurfaced. This time, I couldn't ignore it.
I began my writing journey in the secrecy of my laundry room, honing the craft night after night. It was there I confessed to my husband, "I write sexy romance," and he encouraged me to take the leap and submit my work to a publisher.
My writing career started in 2008. Between a full-time job, my son's sports games, and grad school, I managed to publish three books.
One of those books was The Heartbreak Cowboy, a story I wrote alongside my master’s thesis.
My writing journey took a turn when I attended a Romance Writers of America conference, where I had the fortune to learn from Liz Maverick. Her support led me to write a proposal for the Coldiron Cowboy series, which eventually landed me a literary agent.
However, my path wasn't without obstacles. I faced rejections and was even asked to majorly rewrite my work to imitate another author's style. Despite the disappointment, I knew I had to stay true to my voice.
In 2018, I embraced indie publishing and released The Heartbreak Cowboy under my own imprint, CurtissLynn Publishing. Since then, I've learned that my voice and my stories are unique, and that's perfectly okay. Today, I continue to write the kind of romance I love, unapologetically and authentically."
