KathleenE.WoodiwissIn1972,KathleenE.Woodiwisssentaheftyhistoricalromancenovel,TheFlameandtheFlower,toeightdifferentpublishersandreceivedeightrejectionletters.Finally,AvonBookspickedupthebook,anditbecameaninstantbestseller.Sincethen,morethan36millioncopiesofherromancenovelshavesold,andcolleagueshavedubbedWoodiwisstheFirstLadyofRomance.BiographyKathleenE.Woodiwissalwaysindulgedherflairfortheromantic.Asachild,shedevouredfairytales.Whenshewasjust16yearsold,shemetandfellinlovewithherfuturehusband,21-year-oldAirForceSecondLieutenantRossWoodiwiss,atasockhop.Theyelopedayearlater,andheoftenhelpedherworkouttheplotstoherbestsellingnovels.Butfameandfortunedidn'tcomeaseasily.Onwritingherfirstromancenovel,WoodiwisstoldPeoplemagazine,"ItwassomethingIwasembarrassedtoadmit.Writinganovelseemedfarfetched."Luckyforherreaders,Woodiwisspersisted,withencouragementfromfriendsandfamily.Eventhoughhergroundbreakingfirstnovel,TheFlameandtheFlower,wasignoredbyeightpublishers,itwaseventuallypickedupbyAvonBooksandquicklybecameabestseller.TheFlameandtheFloweriscreditedwithbeingthefirsthistoricalromancenovel,asubgenrethatnowaccountsforahugepercentageofallpaperbackromances.Releasedin1972,itopenedaworldofpassionatefantasiesandpavedthewayforsubsequentromancewriterstoindulgeinlongerplots,historicalfiction,controversialcharacters,andsteamyscenesofsexualtension.AccordingtobestsellingromancenovelistJuliaQuinn,"Woodiwissmadewomenwanttoread.ShegavethemanalternativetoWesternsandhard-boiledpoliceprocedurals.WhenIwasgrowingup,Isawmymotherandgrandmotherreadingandenjoyingromances,andwhenIwasoldenoughtoreadthemmyself,IfeltasifIhadbeenadmittedintoaspecialsisterhoodofreadingwomen."Despiteherlongcareer,Woodiwisswasnotoneofthosebook-a-yearromancewriters.InaninterviewwithGermany'sBertelsmannClub,sheattributedthelongbreaksbetweenbookstotheinterventionofreallife:raisingafamily,maritalproblems,andmedicalissues.Butthroughherupsanddowns,shealwaysfocusedoncreatingescapist,hopelesslyromanticworldsforherreaders.Thereisno"message,"justtheentertainingpage-turnersherfansknowandlove.GoodToKnowTakinginspirationfromherfavoritefairytale,"BeautyandtheBeast,"WoodiwisspennedARoseinWinter,thebestsellingstoryofafairmaidenwhoispromisedtoahorriblydisfigured,misunderstoodrecluse.There'sahappyending,ofcourse.Longbeforeshewasabestsellingnovelist,Woodiwissworkedasafashionmodel.Beautyandbrains--justlikemanyofherstrong-willedleadingladies.AlsoKnownAs:KathleenErinHogg(birthname)DateofBirth:六月3,1939PlaceofBirth:Alexandria,LouisianaDateofDeath:七月6,2007PlaceofDeath:Princeton,Minnesota