The Wolf and the Dove[狼与鸽子(小说)]

KathleenE.Woodiwiss(1939-2007),creatorofthemodernhistoricalromance,diedJuly6,2007inMinnesota.Shehadjustturned68.Herattorney,WilliamMesserlie,saidthatshediedafteralongillness.BornonJune3,1939inAlexandria,Louisiana,Mrs.Woodiwisswastheyoungestofeightsiblings.Shelongrelishedcreatingoriginalnarratives,andbyagesixwastellingherselfstoriesatnighttohelpherselffallasleep.Atage16,shemetU.S.AirForceSecondLieutenantRossWoodiwissatadance,andtheymarriedthefollowingyear.ShewroteherfirstbookinlonghandwhilelivingatamilitaryoutpostinJapan.Woodiwissiscreditedwiththeinventionofthemodernhistoricalromancenovel:in1972,shereleasedTheFlameandtheFlower,aninstantNewYorkTimesbestseller,creatingliteraryprecedent.TheFlameandtheFlowerrevolutionizedmainstreampublishing,featuringanepichistoricalromancewithastrongheroineandimpassionedsexscenes."KathleeenE.Woodiwissisthefoundingmotherofthehistoricalromancegenre,"saysCarrieFeron,vicepresident/editorialdirectorofWilliamMorrowandAvonBooks,imprintsofHarperCollinsPublishers.Feron,whohasbeenWoodiwiss'seditorfor13years,continues,"AvonBooksisproudtohavebeenKathleen'ssolepublishingpartnerforherpaperbacksandhardcovernovelsformorethanthreedecades."AvonBooks,aleaderinthehistoricalromancegenretothisday,remainsMrs.Woodiwiss'soriginalandonlypaperbackpublisher;WilliamMorrow,Avon'ssistercompany,publishesMrs.Woodiwiss'shardcovers.TheFlameandtheFlowerwasrejectedbyagentsandhardcoverpublishers,whodeemeditas"toolong"at600pages.Ratherthanfollowtheadviceoftherejectionlettersandrewritethenovel,Mrs.Woodiwissinsteadsubmittedittopaperbackpublishers.Thefirstpublisheronherlist,Avon,quicklypurchasedthenovelandarrangedaninitial500,000printrun.Thenovelsoldover2.3millioncopiesinitsfirstfouryearsofpublication.Thesuccessofthisnovelpromptedanewstyleofwritingromance,concentratingprimarilyonhistoricalfictiontrackingthemonogamousrelationshipbetweenahelplessheroinesandtheherowhorescuedher,evenifhehadbeentheonetoplaceherindanger.Theromancenovelswhichfollowedinherexamplefeaturedlongerplots,morecontroversialsituationsandcharacters,andmoreintimateandsteamysexscenes."Herwordsengenderedanincrediblepassionamongreaders,"notesFeron.BestsellingauthorJuliaQuinnagrees,saying,"Woodiwissmadewomenwanttoread.ShegavethemanalternativetoWesternsandhard-boiledpoliceprocedurals.WhenIwasgrowingup,Isawmymotherandgrandmotherreadingandenjoyingromances,andwhenIwasoldenoughtoreadthemmyself,IfeltasifIhadbeenadmittedintoaspecialsisterhoodofreadingwomen."NewYorkTimesbestsellingauthorSusanElizabethPhillips,aleadingvoiceinthewomen'sfictionarena,says,"Wealloweourcareerstoher.Sheopenedtheworldofromancetousasreaders.Shecreatedacareerforustogointo."Thepioneeringauthorhaswritten13novelsoverthecourseof35years,allNewYorkTimesbestsellers.KathleenE.Woodiwiss'sfinalliterarywork,theupcomingEverlasing,willbepublishedbyWilliamMorrowinOctober2007."EverlastingisKathleen'sfinalgifttoherfans,"notesFeron.KathleenE.Woodiwiss,whowaspredeceasedbyherhusbandandsonDorren,issurvivedbysonsSeanandHeath,andnumerousgrandchildren.