Rita Clay Estrada
Encyclopedia
Rita Clay Estrada is an U.S.
writer
of romance novels as Rita Clay, Tira Lacy and Rita Clay Estrada, she also wrote non-fiction books about writing romance novels. She was the first president of the Romance Writers of America
, and founding member with her mother Rita Gallagher
.
, U.S.A.
. Her mother, Rita Gallagher
, was a former Miss Michigan, a romance novelist and a noted writing instructor, while her father was a pilot with the U.S. Air Force. She spent much of her early years living in Europe. She married her high school sweetheart when she was very young and stayed at home to raise their four children. In 1977, when she had been married about 20 years, her husband brought her a typewriter and said, "'You said you always wanted to write. Now write.'"
Her first attempt was a long historical romance which was promptly rejected. Her next manuscript, a contemporary romance, was likewise rejected. Her third manuscript, Wanderer's Dream, sold to Silhouette Books
. She used her maiden name, Rita Clay for that and an additional seven titles for Silhouette. In 1982, she moved to Dell to write for their Candlelight Ecstasy line. Harlequin owned her pen name, so she wrote as Tira Lacy, an anagram of Rita Clay. In 1985 she resigned with Harlequin and asked to use her full name, Rita Clay Estrada, on all future books.
She generally takes 4.5 months to write a novel. Except for punctuation and fact-checking, she does very little rewriting, as "that's why there are editors." Generally, she writes five pages each night and more on the weekends. Her novels have been translated in 23 languages.
Estrada was a founding member and the first president of the Romance Writers of America
(RWA). Their signature award, the RITA, which is the highest award of excellence given in the genre of romantic fiction
, is named for her. The RWA also awarded Estrada their Lifetime Achievement Award in 2000.
She and her husband are divorced.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
writer
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 romance novels as Rita Clay, Tira Lacy and Rita Clay Estrada, she also wrote non-fiction books about writing romance novels. She was the first president of the Romance Writers of America
Romance Writers of America
Romance Writers of America is a national non-profit genre writers association. It provides networking and support to individuals seriously pursuing a career in romance fiction and supports top authors such as Nora Roberts and Judith McNaught.-History:...
, and founding member with her mother Rita Gallagher
Rita Gallagher
Rita Gallagher a founding member of the Romance Writers of America, was a noted writing instructor of romance novels. She also wrote three romance novels from 1982 to 1986. She is the mother of the writer Rita Clay Estrada.-Biography:...
.
Biography
Born Rita Clay on July 31, 1941 in MichiganMichigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, U.S.A.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Her mother, Rita Gallagher
Rita Gallagher
Rita Gallagher a founding member of the Romance Writers of America, was a noted writing instructor of romance novels. She also wrote three romance novels from 1982 to 1986. She is the mother of the writer Rita Clay Estrada.-Biography:...
, was a former Miss Michigan, a romance novelist and a noted writing instructor, while her father was a pilot with the U.S. Air Force. She spent much of her early years living in Europe. She married her high school sweetheart when she was very young and stayed at home to raise their four children. In 1977, when she had been married about 20 years, her husband brought her a typewriter and said, "'You said you always wanted to write. Now write.'"
Her first attempt was a long historical romance which was promptly rejected. Her next manuscript, a contemporary romance, was likewise rejected. Her third manuscript, Wanderer's Dream, sold to Silhouette Books
Harlequin Enterprises Ltd
Harlequin Enterprises Limited is a Toronto, Ontario-based company that is a publisher of series romance and women's fiction. Owned by the Torstar Corporation, the largest newspaper publisher in Canada, the company publishes approximately 120 new titles each month in 29 different languages in 107...
. She used her maiden name, Rita Clay for that and an additional seven titles for Silhouette. In 1982, she moved to Dell to write for their Candlelight Ecstasy line. Harlequin owned her pen name, so she wrote as Tira Lacy, an anagram of Rita Clay. In 1985 she resigned with Harlequin and asked to use her full name, Rita Clay Estrada, on all future books.
She generally takes 4.5 months to write a novel. Except for punctuation and fact-checking, she does very little rewriting, as "that's why there are editors." Generally, she writes five pages each night and more on the weekends. Her novels have been translated in 23 languages.
Estrada was a founding member and the first president of the Romance Writers of America
Romance Writers of America
Romance Writers of America is a national non-profit genre writers association. It provides networking and support to individuals seriously pursuing a career in romance fiction and supports top authors such as Nora Roberts and Judith McNaught.-History:...
(RWA). Their signature award, the RITA, which is the highest award of excellence given in the genre of romantic fiction
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...
, is named for her. The RWA also awarded Estrada their Lifetime Achievement Award in 2000.
She and her husband are divorced.
Single novels
- Wanderer's Dream (1981)
- Sweet Eternity (1982)
- Yesterday's Dreams (1982)
- Experiment in Love (1983)
- Summer Song (1983)
Omnibus in collaboration
- Visible Heart / Handyman Special / Wanderer's Dream (1992) (with Dixie BrowningDixie BrowningDixie Browning, née Burrus is an American artist and writer of over 100 romance novels. She also has published under the pen name Zoe Dozier, and with her sister Mary Burrus Williams, she writes historical romance under the name Bronwyn Williams.-Biography:Dixie Burrus was born in 1930 on North...
, Pamela Browning)
Will and the Way Series
- Will and the Way (1985)
- A Woman's Choice (1985)
- Something to Treasure (1986)
Gallagher Sisters Saga
- Wishes (1997)
- Dreams (1998)
- Everything About Him (1998)
Single novels
- The Ivory Key (1987)
- A Little Magic (1987)
- To Buy a Groom (1990)
- Twice Loved (1991)
- One More Time (1993)
- The Colonel's Daughter (1993)
- Interlude in Time (1994)
- The Twelve Gifts of Christmas (1994)
- Million Dollar Valentine (2000)
- Blissful (2000)
- Too Wicked to Love (2001)
Omnibus in collaboration
- To Have and to Hold (1992) (with Sandra JamesSandra JamesSandra James is a Zimbabwean former athlete, who won eleven medals across four different sports at the Paralympic Games.-1972: representing Rhodesia:James initially represented Rhodesia at the 1972 Summer Paralympics, competing in athletics and swimming....
, Debbie MacomberDebbie MacomberDebbie Macomber is a best-selling American author of over 150 romance novels and contemporary women's fiction. Over 140 million copies of her books are in print throughout the world, and four have become made-for-TV-movies...
and Barbara Bretton) - Conveniently Yours (1994) (with Sally Bradford and Bobby Hutchinson)
- Expecting! (1996) (with Barbara DelinskyBarbara DelinskyBarbara Delinsky is an American writer of nineteen New York Times bestsellers. She has also been published under the pen names Bonnie Drake and Billie Douglass.-Biography:Delinsky was born on August 9, 1945 near Boston, Massachusetts...
and Michelle ReidMichelle ReidMichelle Reid is a popular British writer of over 30 romance novels in Mills & Boon since 1988.-Biography:Michelle Reid born and grew up in Manchester in the Northwest of England with her four siblings...
) - Bedazzled (2002) (with Jayne Ann KrentzJayne Ann KrentzJayne Ann Krentz, née Jayne Castle is an American writer of romance novels. Krentz is the author of a string of New York Times bestsellers under seven different pseudonyms. Now, she only uses three names. As Jayne Ann Krentz she writes contemporary romantic-suspense. She uses Amanda Quick for her...
and Vicki Lewis ThompsonVicki Lewis ThompsonVicki Lewis Thompson is a best-selling U.S.American writer of over seventy romance novels. She has also been published under the pseudonyms Cory Kenyon and Corey Keaton with Mary Tate Engels.-Biography:...
)
Non fiction
- Writing Romances (1997) (with Rita GallagherRita GallagherRita Gallagher a founding member of the Romance Writers of America, was a noted writing instructor of romance novels. She also wrote three romance novels from 1982 to 1986. She is the mother of the writer Rita Clay Estrada.-Biography:...
) - You Can Write a Romance (1999) (with Rita GallagherRita GallagherRita Gallagher a founding member of the Romance Writers of America, was a noted writing instructor of romance novels. She also wrote three romance novels from 1982 to 1986. She is the mother of the writer Rita Clay Estrada.-Biography:...
)