Paula Schwartz
Paula Schwartz was an American author and educator, born on March 13, 1925, in New York City. After earning her B.A. in 1945 and a master's degree in 1950 from the City University of New York, she dedicated nearly two decades to teaching high school English in New York City, while also nurturing a family with her husband and two children. Schwartz began her writing career in 1974, initially crafting one-act plays and later transitioning to romance novels. She gained recognition for her work in the English Regency romance subgenre, publishing her first novel, *Unexpected Holiday*, in 1978 under the pseudonym Elizabeth Mansfield. Over the years, Schwartz published numerous novels and a nonfiction work, while also directing theater groups and writing plays. Her contributions to literature were marked by a blend of theatrical and romantic storytelling. Paula Schwartz passed away in 2003 due to ovarian cancer, leaving behind a legacy in both education and literature.
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Subject Terms
Paula Schwartz
Writer
- Born: March 13, 1925
- Birthplace: New York, New York
- Died: December 21, 2003
- Place of death: Annandale, Virginia
Biography
Paula Schwartz was born on March 13, 1925, in New York City. She attended what is now known as Hunter College of the City University of New York, where she earned her B.A. in 1945. She earned her master’s degree in 1950 from the City College of the City University of New York. She married during the 1950’s and raised two children.
From 1947 to 1965, Schwartz taught high school English in New York City. After completing further graduate studies in the late 1960’s, Schwartz held several positions at various community colleges on the East Coast. She began her writing career in 1974, writing several one-act plays. However, after writing an award- winning essay on romance novelist Georgette Heyer, who first popularized the English Regency romance subgenre, Schwartz tried her hand at writing her own romance.
Her first romance, Unexpected Holiday (1978), was written under the pseudonym Elizabeth Mansfield. Schwartz’s romances also take place during the English Regency of the early nineteenth century. Since 1978, Schwartz published dozens more novels under the name Mansfield. In 1984, Schwartz published a book, A Morning Moon, under her maiden name, Paula Reibel.
While romance writing occupied a large portion of her writing career, Schwartz maintained an interest in theater as well, directing several theater groups while continuing to write plays for all ages. In 2003, Schwartz passed away from ovarian cancer.