Liz Tomforde is an originally self-published author who has recently been traditionally published due to the success of her Windy City series. Tomforde began posting the first draft of Mile High on Wattpad—an online storytelling platform—but later published it independently. Mile High became popular on TikTok, which led to a publishing deal. She writes contemporary sports romances that showcase healthy relationships, witty banter, found family, and a considerable amount of “spice” (TikTok slang for sexual content).

Tomforde was a flight attendant for an NHL team prior to becoming a full-time author, an early career similar to that of some of her characters (Stevie and Indy). Her first novel was written in 2020 when the hockey season was postponed due to the global pandemic, drawing on her own experiences during her flight attendant career. 

The Windy City series is Tomforde’s debut series and has reached its conclusion with the publication of In Her Own League. Her next book will be part of another sports romance series, Wilder Woods. The four-part series will follow four new athletes, three new sports teams, and one large, interconnected cast spanning all installments. Set in Northern California, the series will focus primarily on a few siblings introduced in Rewind It Back, and begin with the installment of Cardinal Rule (2026).

Tomforde’s Windy City series is in conversation with other contemporary sports romances, such as Rachel Reid’s Heated Rivalry (2019), Hannah Grace’s Icebreaker (2022), and Tessa Bailey’s Fangirl Down (2024), with sports romances becoming an increasingly prominent subgenre of romance.