Maria Imbalzano is an award-winning contemporary author who writes about strong, independent women and the men who fall in love with them. Instead of drafting motions, legal memoranda, and briefs, although fascinating, she now spends her days creating memorable characters and taking them on their emotional journeys through her contemporary romance novels.
A member of New Jersey Romance Writers, Maria has received many honors for her work including the ACRA Readers’ Choice Heart of Excellence Award, the NEST (National Excellence in Story Telling) Award, Still Moments Magazine Readers’ Choice Award, Long and Short Reviews Book of the Month Award, The Carolyn Award, Book Buyers Best Award, the Firebird Award, and the Wisconsin Romance Writers Write Touch Readers Award.
Maria graduated from Fordham University School of Law and practiced law for over thirty-five years at Stark & Stark before retiring to focus full-time on her writing career. As a lawyer, Maria was an appointed member of the District VII Ethics Committee and she served as past President of the Mercer County Estate Planning Council. She has given dozens of seminars and written countless articles on issues of divorce, child support, alimony, equitable distribution, taxes, and domestic violence which appear in such publications as The American Journal of Family Law, The Matrimonial Strategist, The New Jersey Law Journal, The New Jersey Family News Magazine, The Journal of the Medical Society of New Jersey, Mercer Business and US 1.
Maria has also been named as one of New Jersey’s Super Lawyers by New Jersey Monthly Magazine and honored by her inclusion in Woodward/White’s The Best Lawyers in America. She was also named one of New Jersey’s Women Leaders in the Law by ALM Media and received the National Law Journal Trailblazer’s Award.
She has served on many non-profit Boards including Thomas Edison State University Foundation, Dress for Success Central New Jersey, The American Cancer Society (Mercer County), The Princeton Ballet (now the American Repertory Theater) and the McCorristin Catholic High School Scholarship Committee.
She has received the distinguished Family of Edison Award for her work with The Thomas Edison State University Foundation, the Iron Mike Professional Achievement Award from Trenton Catholic Academy and was inducted into the Italian American National Hall of Fame.
Born in Trenton, NJ, Maria grew up in Hamilton and now lives in Lawrenceville with her husband. She is thrilled that her two adult daughters have become strong, independent women like the heroines in her books.
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