Today we’d like to introduce you to Lorraine Heath.
Hi Lorraine, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I have always enjoyed writing. At the age of seven, I wrote a story about a fisherman falling in love with a mermaid. I had it in the back of my mind that someday I would write a novel. In 1990, I read a romance novel, MORNING GLORY by LaVyrle Spencer, and fell in love with the genre. I knew it was the sort of story I wanted to write. In between working as a programmer with the government, raising two boys who were active in school, sports, and scouts, and all the other aspects of life, marriage, and family, I wrote whenever I had a spare minute.
In February of 1993, I sold my first historical romance novel. In October 2020, my 44th romance novel, BEAUTY TEMPTS THE BEAST, was released. I have also written young adult books under the names Rachel Hawthorne and Jade Parker. I wrote the Darkness Before Dawn young adult vampire series with my son, Alex, under the name J. A. London. In total, I’ve written more than 70 novels and have been published in 22 different languages. My books have been recognized with several industry awards and have hit the USA Today, Publishers Weekly, and New York Times bestseller lists.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It’s been a relatively smooth road, but like most authors, I’ve encountered a few challenges along the way. After writing four novels for my first publisher, I was told that they wouldn’t purchase any more books from me because they were cutting back on the number of books they were publishing. It took six months for my agent to find another publisher for my work. After writing three books for them, I moved to AvonBooks where I have been for a little over twenty years. The first 11 books I wrote were set in Texas. When I first started writing, Texas was a popular setting for novels but in publishing, trends come and go, and readers lost interest in books set in Texas. I’d wanted to write a story set in England during the Victorian era, and my editor was open to the idea. My mother was British. She met my Texas raised father when he was stationed at Bovingdon Air Force Base near London. I grew up loving both my heritages, so I often include both in my work, taking Texans to London and Londoners to Texas.
We’d love to learn more about your work. What do you do, what do you specialize in?
I specialize in stories set in England between 1850 and 1890, although I have recently contracted to write my first book set during World War II, that focuses on the training of RAF pilots that took place in Texas. It will be released in early 2022.
What are you known for? What sets you apart from others?
The Washington Post wrote, “Heath is known for her beautiful, deeply emotional romances.” I’m also known for having richly drawn, complex characters. I suspect my degree in psychology from the University of Texas helps me there.
What are you most proud of?
It’s incredibly humbling when readers share how my stories have impacted them. In FALLING INTO BED WITH A DUKE, my hero has dyscalculia, which is similar to dyslexia but involves the perception of numbers. I received a letter from a reader who said that when she read the scene where the hero is explaining to the heroine how he struggles with the concept of numbers, that what I described was exactly what she experiences. She’d always thought she was simply stupid, but my story made her realize that perhaps she also had this condition and so she was going to pursue it as a possibility. On another occasion, a woman drove four hours to a store where I was signing books because she had just lost her dearest friend to cancer. Her friend had a stack of my books on her nightstand, and she wanted to thank me for providing her friend with an escape when she needed it most.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
The romance community is passionate about books, reading, and supporting each other. By attending various reader and writer conferences through the years, I’ve come to know a lot of authors and readers personally. As a result, I am chair of the committee for the Buns & Roses Romance Tea for Literacy that benefits the Richardson Adult Literacy Center. We have at least 30 romance authors come in from around the country for a tea on Sunday afternoon. Readers purchase tickets to sit at their favorite author’s table. It’s a lot of fun with a keynote speaker, an auction, and a book signing. The next event will be held Oct. 17, 2021 at the Hyatt Regency North Dallas in Richardson, TX. Information about the Richardson Adult Literacy Center can be found at ralc.org. On April 1, 2021, we’ll be announcing our 2021 author lineup at bunsandroses.org. If you love romance novels, supporting a worthwhile cause, or just wearing a fancy hat, I hope you’ll consider joining us.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.lorraineheath.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/LorraineHeathAuthor/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LorraineHeathBooks
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/Lorraine_Heath
Image Credits
Headshot-Kayla Marie Photography
