K. D. Wentworth

Sometimes linked as K.D. Wentworth http://openlibrary.org/authors/OL2750959A/K.D._Wentworth

K.D. Wentworth (1951-2012) authored several novels, including Black on Black and Stars Over Stars for Baen, and more than fifty short stories, which appeared in such magazines as Fantasy & Science Fiction, Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, Realms of Fantasy, and others. She was a winner in the Writers of Future contest, and was been a Nebula Award finalist twice. She attributed her success to having a very large dog and a wonderful husband, not necessarily in that order. - Baen eBooks http://www.baenebooks.com/s-110-k-d-wentworth.aspx

Note on Jao Empire series
Posted on July 19, 2012 by Eric Flint
"A number of people have asked me if I’ll be continuing the Jao Empire series I’ve been doing with Kathy Wentworth, now that Kathy has passed away. (She died in April from complications following cancer surgery.) The first two books in that series were THE COURSE OF EMPIRE and THE CRUCIBLE OF EMPIRE. Kathy and I had started a third book in the series, with the working title of THE SPAN OF EMPIRE.
… I’ve been discussing the situation both with Kathy’s husband, who controls her estate, as well as Baen Books. I think we’ll be able to work something out to everyone’s satisfaction so that work can resume on THE SPAN OF EMPIRE." - Author Eric Flint's Home Page http://www.ericflint.net/index.php/2012/07/19/news-7-19-12-jao-empire-series-2/