In Memoriam

Kathleen Givens

Kathleen (1949-2010) was born in Brooklyn, NY, but spent her early years living in the Northeast, Georgia, and Southern California. She received a BA in English from the University of California, Irvine. It was while attending UCI that she met her soul mate and husband of forty years, Russell Givens. Russ and Kathleen raised two daughters, Kerry and Patty. She ran a family business even as she actively pursued her dream to become a published author by the age of 50, which she did.

Her first book, Kilgannon, was published by Dell in 1999, followed by The Wild Rose of Kilgannon. She went on to publish Scottish historical novels with Warner and Pocket, including the RITA award winning The Destiny (Warner, best long historical, 2004) and On a Highland Shore. Her last full-length novel was Rivals for the Crown (Pocket). She has a short story in the upcoming Mammoth Book of Irish Romance. She spent most of her career with editor Maggie Crawford, but she also worked with Beth de Guzman and Karen Kosztolnyik. She is  represented by literary agent Aaron Priest.

She died suddenly and unexpectedly on New Year's Day in the arms of her husband.  It seems that her heart simply stopped. She leaves her husband, two daughters, four beautiful grandchildren, and many many friends.

Edith Layton

On June 2, 2009, we lost Edith Layton, one of the grande dames of Regency historical romance, to a very private bout with cancer.  A member of Novelists Inc. since its inception and the author of over thirty novels and numerous novellas, she will be missed by millions of readers as well as her fellow authors.

A graduate of Hunter College in New York City with a degree in creative writing and theater, Edith worked for various media, including a radio station and a major motion picture company. Her three children have all followed their mother in creative endeavors in art, writing, and entertainment.

Publishers Weekly called Edith Layton "one of romance's most gifted writers." Layton has enthralled readers and critics with books that capture the spirit of historically distant places and peoples. "What I've found," she once said, "is that life was very different in every era, but that love and love of life is always the same."

Amazon.com's top reviewer called Layton's Alas, My Love (April 2005, Avon Books), "a wonderful historical."  And her recent release, Bride Enchanted, is a Romantic Times 2007 Reviewers' Choice Award Nominee. For her previous work, she received a Lifetime Achievement Award from Romantic Times, and excellent reviews, awards and commendations from Library Journal, Romance Readers Anonymous  and The Romance Writers of America.

Edith devoted time as a volunteer for the North Shore Animal League, the world's largest no-kill pet rescue and adoption organization. The family has asked that expressions of concern be donated to the shelter at……

North Shore Animal League America
25 Davis Avenue
Port Washington, NY 11050

Novelists, Inc., mourns the recent death of valued members:

• Suzanne Simmons Guntrum

• Phyllis Kelly Halldorson

• Martha (Marty) Sans

• Patricia Matthews

• Marj Krueger (aka Jayge Carr)