Kathleen E. Woodiwiss Books in Order

Kathleen E. Woodiwiss is a renowned author, credited with revolutionizing the historical romance novel. Born on June 3, 1939, in Alexandria, Louisiana, to Gladys (Coker) and Charles Wingrove Hogg, she was the youngest of eight siblings. Demonstrating a lifelong passion for storytelling, Kathleen began creating original narratives at a young age and would often tell herself stories to fall asleep at night. Her writing career flourished after meeting her husband, U.S. Air Force Second Lieutenant Ross Eugene Woodiwiss, whom she married at 17. During their time in Japan, Kathleen wrote her first book in longhand. Her breakout novel, The Flame and the Flower, released in 1972, became an instant New York Times bestseller, selling over 2.3 million copies in its first four years. The novel's success established a new style of writing romance, influencing generations of authors to come. With her groundbreaking work, Kathleen E. Woodiwiss solidified her place as a pioneering force in the romance genre.