I decided to become a writer at the age of eight, after winning a "Why My Mother is the Greatest" essay contest and having my entry published in a major newspaper. Seeing my words in print was a thrill! But everyone told me it's too hard for novelists to get published, so after college I spent fourteen years as the CEO of my own jewelry store chain before writing my first book. A mistake? Maybe...but my first heroine, Amethyst, was a jeweler, so at least I took advantage of that wise old saying, "Write what you know." And I learned a good lesson: Don't let other people tell you what you can or can't do!I write humorous historical romance mostly set in England and Scotland in the 17th and 19th centuries (Restoration and Regency periods). I've been oh-so-lucky to see my books hit bestseller lists all over the world, including the New York Times and USA Today lists, making this second career a real dream come true. I live in Southern California with my family and a constantly shedding cat, and I still think my mother is the greatest!Sign up for my newsletter and never miss a release or special. Plus I share free and 99-cent book specials every week! Go to http://royall.ink/LaurensNewsVisit my website at LaurenRoyal.com, where you can learn about the real people and real places in my books, enter a contest, and see the ever-growing branches of the Chase Family Tree.Please join me at...Facebook Readers Group: facebook.com/groups/ChaseFamilyReadersFacebook Page: facebook.com/LaurenRoyalTwitter: twitter.com/readLaurenRoyal (@readLaurenRoyal)Pinterest: pinterest.com/LaurenRoyal