Emma Richmond
Encyclopedia
Emma Richmond was a popular writer
of 33 romance novel
s in Mills & Boon
from 1988 to 2001.
Emma was born when open fields and farms were the norm and motorways nonexistent. She had a terrific childhood. Snow in winter, sun in summer. A life of adventure. Emma has an older brother and a younger sister. She enjoyed school and did rather well. Her favorite subjects were history and English.
She wanted to go to university, but in the ‘50s, teachers thought it more important for places to go to exceptional students, or boys, because girls tended to get married and have babies and it would therefore be a waste of a place. It is her one regret.
Emma met her husband at the local dance hall — where everyone met their future partners — and they were married less than a year later. A year after that their first daughter was born. Money was tight — when you have to take up the floorboards once a week to see if any money had rolled down there, well, it will give you some idea how tight it really was. There was a great deal of laughter and fun, and being poverty-stricken certainly makes you inventive!
Three years later they had their second daughter, who was born on the living room floor without benefit of a midwife. Ten months after that, there was a third. Three beautiful girls.
There was the usual story of growing up, of dogs and cats, hamsters and gerbils, which were forever escaping.
The teenage years were relatively fraught-free. Fashions came and went. Boyfriends came and went. There were tears and sadness, happiness and fulfillment. And not very many free moments for husband and wife.
When her father died, her mother came to stay so the house was even fuller. The dog died, a stray was adopted, and a duck was adopted. Lame birds, a lame mouse, all came and went.
There were 101 temporary jobs to help make ends meet and so that Emma could always be home for the children after school, always have the school holidays off.
She delivered leaflets, mended sheets in a laundry, and worked in an air rifle pellet factory. She worked for newspapers, taking down copy from reporters; taking dictation in pubs when no one was sober enough to talk let alone dictate. Insurance offices, banks, car showrooms, even a conjuror.
Her last job, before she gave it up to pursue her writing, was as secretary to the chairman of a group of companies. She went as a temp, and remained by default because they couldn’t find anyone better. Her letter of reference when she left, in case she ever needed another job, said: "She generally manages to hit the right keys." That was 12 years ago and she still receives Christmas cards from them.
And then there were weddings and the eldest two daughters left home. The younger went off to university and the house was almost empty.
And now it is almost full again with the laughter of grandchildren who all come to see her at least once a week. Four now, two boys and two girls. Sadly, her mother died a few months ago, but she’s all right — her five-year-old grandson told her he saw her last night and she was laughing.
Amiable and disorganized, Emma will continue to write until someone tells her to stop.
An ordinary life, a happy life, she considers herself very lucky.
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
of 33 romance novel
Romance novel
The romance novel is a literary genre developed in Western culture, mainly in English-speaking countries. Novels in this genre place their primary focus on the relationship and romantic love between two people, and must have an "emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending." Through the late...
s in Mills & Boon
Mills & Boon
Mills & Boon is a British publisher of romance novels. It was founded in 1908, and was independent until its purchase in 1971 by Harlequin Enterprises with whom the company had had a long informal partnership...
from 1988 to 2001.
Emma was born when open fields and farms were the norm and motorways nonexistent. She had a terrific childhood. Snow in winter, sun in summer. A life of adventure. Emma has an older brother and a younger sister. She enjoyed school and did rather well. Her favorite subjects were history and English.
She wanted to go to university, but in the ‘50s, teachers thought it more important for places to go to exceptional students, or boys, because girls tended to get married and have babies and it would therefore be a waste of a place. It is her one regret.
Emma met her husband at the local dance hall — where everyone met their future partners — and they were married less than a year later. A year after that their first daughter was born. Money was tight — when you have to take up the floorboards once a week to see if any money had rolled down there, well, it will give you some idea how tight it really was. There was a great deal of laughter and fun, and being poverty-stricken certainly makes you inventive!
Three years later they had their second daughter, who was born on the living room floor without benefit of a midwife. Ten months after that, there was a third. Three beautiful girls.
There was the usual story of growing up, of dogs and cats, hamsters and gerbils, which were forever escaping.
The teenage years were relatively fraught-free. Fashions came and went. Boyfriends came and went. There were tears and sadness, happiness and fulfillment. And not very many free moments for husband and wife.
When her father died, her mother came to stay so the house was even fuller. The dog died, a stray was adopted, and a duck was adopted. Lame birds, a lame mouse, all came and went.
There were 101 temporary jobs to help make ends meet and so that Emma could always be home for the children after school, always have the school holidays off.
She delivered leaflets, mended sheets in a laundry, and worked in an air rifle pellet factory. She worked for newspapers, taking down copy from reporters; taking dictation in pubs when no one was sober enough to talk let alone dictate. Insurance offices, banks, car showrooms, even a conjuror.
Her last job, before she gave it up to pursue her writing, was as secretary to the chairman of a group of companies. She went as a temp, and remained by default because they couldn’t find anyone better. Her letter of reference when she left, in case she ever needed another job, said: "She generally manages to hit the right keys." That was 12 years ago and she still receives Christmas cards from them.
And then there were weddings and the eldest two daughters left home. The younger went off to university and the house was almost empty.
And now it is almost full again with the laughter of grandchildren who all come to see her at least once a week. Four now, two boys and two girls. Sadly, her mother died a few months ago, but she’s all right — her five-year-old grandson told her he saw her last night and she was laughing.
Amiable and disorganized, Emma will continue to write until someone tells her to stop.
An ordinary life, a happy life, she considers herself very lucky.
Single novels
- Take Away the Pride (1988)
- Unwilling Heart (1989)
- Heart in Hiding (1989)
- Suspicious Heart (1989)
- Gentle Trap (1990)
- A Taste of Heaven (1990)
- Law of Possession (1990)
- A Foolish Dream (1991)
- Unfair Assumptions (1991)
- A Stranger's Trust (1991)
- Deliberate Provocation (1992)
- More Than a Dream (1992)
- Fate of Happiness (1992)
- Love of My Heart (1993)
- Fiery Attraction (1993)
- A Wayward Love (1994)
- A Family Closeness (1995)
- The Love Trap (1995)
- The Bachelor Chase (1996)
- Having It All! (1996)
- First-time Father (1996)
- Behaving Badly! (1997)
- Secret Wedding (1997)
- A Husband for Christmas (1997)
- His Temporary Mistress (1997)
- Instant Mother (1998)
- One Bride Required! (1998)
- Bridegroom on Loan (1999)
- The Reluctant Groom (1999)
- The Boss's Bride (1999)
- Marriage for Real (2000)
- The Reluctant Tycoon (2000)
- Marriage Potential (2001)
Omnibus in collaboration
- Christmas Journeys (1995) (with Catherine George, Kay GregoryKay GregoryKay Gregory is a journalist and former presenter at Television New Zealand. She previously hosted the Breakfast show with Paul Henry. On an episode of Breakfast, Kay revealed she is an "Ox" , despite Paul's guess that she is a "Warthog"....
and Lynsey Stevens) (Yule Tide, Man to Live For, Mistletoe Kisses, Christmas Charade)
External links
- Emma Richmond's Webpage in Fantastic Fiction's Website