Linda McLaughlin

Linda McLaughlin grew up with a love of history fostered by her paternal grandmother who loved to tell stories about their ancestors who settled in western Pennsylvania in the late 1700's, and by visits to the old family farm and log cabin. So, when Linda decided to write historical romance, it seemed natural to set a book in her home state.

When she was fourteen, her family moved to southern California and she has lived there since, except for a year at the University of Texas at Austin, where she earned a Master's degree in Library Science. Currently, she lives in Anaheim with her husband of twelve years.

Linda joined Romance Writers of America and the Orange County Chapter in 1988. The following year she entered the chapter contest, and was surprised when that entry made the finals. Since then she has been a finalist in numerous contests. In 1994, Linda and her writing partner made the finals in RWA's prestigious Golden Heart contest. That manuscript was sold to Kensington Precious Gems and was published in 1998 as Private Affair by Lyn O'Farrell. Rogue's Hostage, coming in January 2003 from Amber Quill Press, is Linda's first published historical romance.