Summer Stories: Meet the Romance Authors Behind the Love Tales

Summer is the perfect time to do some leisure reading. And if you love Romances, you will love what we are going to offer. At Offshoot Books, we have made a book that has all you need to know about your favourite Romance authors. Read about a few of them here. 

William Shakespeare 

Born to John Shakespeare and Mary Arden in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, William Shakespeare is among the most loved romance authors of all times. Back then when he was born, birthdays were not widely celebrated. Thus, we only know when William was baptised. As recorded by the church, William was baptised in 1564. Who could have imagined that over 400 years later, he would be celebrated as England’s national poet?

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In November 1582, when William married Anne Hathaway, he was just 18 years old and Anne was 26. They had a daughter, Susanna and twins, Hamnet and Judith.

By 1592, Shakespeare had established himself on the London stage. Although there are no records of his activities between 1585 and 1592—these years are often referred to as his 'lost years'. The first mention of him during this period came from theatre critic Robert Greene, who called him an 'upstart crow'.

In 1593, when the plague broke out in London and theatres were closed, Shakespeare turned to writing poetry. He published ‘Venus and Adonis’, which he described as “the first heir of my invention.”

Jane Austen 

Jane Austen was born on 16 December 1775 in Steventon, Hampshire, England. Her mother, Cassandra Leigh Austen, came from a family of higher social standing and her father, George Austen, an Anglican clergyman. Despite the difference in social rank, both her/the parents were highly respected in their community.

From an early age, Jane developed a love for books. She had complete access to her father’s and his friends’ libraries. Jane and her older sister attended boarding schools, which was customary at the time. However, due to financial difficulties, they eventually returned home to live with their family.

Source: How I Hate Romance and All that Jazz/Offshoot Books 

Jane wrote poems, stories and plays for her own and her family’s amusement. Her early writings, often with a playful and mischievous tone, were later compiled into a collection known as "Juvenilia"—or as one might whimsically call it, ‘Jane-ilia’.

George Eliot

George Eliot was born as Mary Ann Evans on 22 November 1819 in Nuneaton, Warwickshire. She was the daughter of Robert Evans, a local mill owner and his second wife, Christiana Evans. As a young girl, her intelligence was unmatched, fuelled by her voracious reading habits. Mary grew up to become a poet, journalist, translator and one of the greatest English novelists of all times.

Source: How I Hate Romance and All that Jazz/Offshoot Books

At the age of 16, Mary had already experienced life at various boarding schools, where the religious environment deeply influenced her, instilling in her a lifelong zeal and asceticism. However, these schools lacked in providing a comprehensive formal education. Instead, Mary primarily educated herself by delving into the books available in the library at Arbury Hall, where her father served as the manager.

Nora Roberts

Nora Roberts, originally named Eleanor Marie Robertson, was born on 10 October 1950 in Silver Spring, Maryland, to parents of Irish descent. Growing up as the youngest among four elder brothers, Eleanor was immersed in the world of books from an early age, thanks to her family's influence. While she didn't show much interest in writing during her school years, she found joy in storytelling, even if it meant telling a few tall tales at home.

Source: How I Hate Romance and All that Jazz/Offshoot Books

After graduating from high school in 1968, Eleanor married Ronald Aufdem-Brinke against her parents' wish at the age of 19. The couple settled in the small town of Keedysville and had two sons, Dan and Jason. She fondly refers to the following dozen or so years as her 'Earth Mother' years.

Nicholas Sparks

Nicholas Charles Sparks, the renowned author, was born on 31 December 1965 to Patrick Michael Sparks and Jill Emma Marie. Thanks to his father's thirst for knowledge, Nicholas had the opportunity to travel extensively during his childhood before the family finally settled in Fair Oaks, California.

Source: How I Hate Romance and All that Jazz/Offshoot Books

Nicholas excelled in track and field during high school and earned a full scholarship to the University of Notre Dame. He drew parallels between running and writing, believing that running taught him valuable lessons about perseverance and discipline that he applied to his writing career. According to him, writer's block and plot complexities are akin to injuries for a writer, challenging but ultimately surmountable.