Leigh Michaels is the author of more than 100 books, including Regency-period historical romance novels, contemporary romance novels, non-fiction books on writing, and local history books. Her romances have been published in 25 languages and in more than 125 countries around the world, and more than 35 million copies have been sold. Six of her books have been finalists in the Romance Writers of America RITA contest, and she has been honored with Reviewer's Choice awards by Romantic Times magazine. The Iowa Library Association presented her the Johnson Brigham award in 2003 for substantial and sustained literary contributions to American culture.Her non-fiction books include On Writing Romance, which has been called the definitive guide to writing romance novels, and Creating Romantic Characters. She teaches romance writing online at Gotham Writers Workshop. She is also the coauthor with her husband, Michael W. Lemberger, of a book about the St. Louis World's Fair of 1904, and of many local history books.She wrote her first romance novel when she was a teenager and burned it, then wrote and burned five more complete manuscripts -- sending more than a quarter of a million words up in smoke -- before submitting to a publisher. Her first submission was accepted and published by the first editor to read it.