Sunday, July 08, 2007

Kathleen E. Woodiwiss

I was saddened to hear that Kathleen E. Woodiwiss has lost her struggle with cancer and passed away this past Friday. The Romance industry has lost an icon.

When I first discovered her books in the 1980's, I devoured them all. My favorites are A Rose in Winter and The Wolf and The Dove. You can't talk to a romance reader without them having a favorite Woodiwiss book. We've all read them, and I'm sure that we all have some of them, if not all, on our "keeper" shelves.

Her work brought about the romance genre as we know it today. Her writing was astounding, vibrant and timeless, and those of us who have read one of her books have been forever changed. She set the standard for the rest of us and we can only hope to be a fraction as good as she was at her craft.

If you haven't read a Woodiwiss book, then go out and buy one. Her early work may seem a bit dated by today's standards, but you'll still fall in love with her characters and lose yourself in her words.

1 comment:

TK Winters said...

I just happened by and saw Kathleen Woodiwiss's name. I am very sad to hear she died. She leaves a legacy for us all, however. As you know I did not read much romance when I was younger; nevertheless, Woodiwiss was one author I loved.