Phoebe Conn
Phoebe Conn is a renowned American romance novelist, born in Los Angeles, California. She pursued her education at the University of Arizona in Tucson, studying art, before earning a bachelor's degree in art history from California State University at Los Angeles. Conn's path to writing began unexpectedly in 1983 after she was inspired to write her first novel, "Love's Elusive Flame," following a television commercial for Silhouette Romances. With a background as an elementary school teacher and having raised two sons, she dedicated her summers to studying and writing, underscoring the importance of a professional approach to the craft.
Throughout her writing career, Conn has published over thirty romance novels, with her last known work, "Midnight Blue," released in May 2006. She emphasizes the significance of reading extensively and the influence of her parents, who instilled in her a love for literature from a young age. Conn remains accessible to her readers through her website, reflecting her open and approachable nature as an author. Her journey highlights the intersection of personal inspiration and professional dedication in the realm of romance writing.
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Phoebe Conn
- Birthplace: Los Angeles, California
Biography
Romance novelist Phoebe Conn was born in Los Angeles, California, the daughter of Petway C. Conn, band director of the University of Southern California, and Ruby Stanton Conn, a teacher. He father was an enthusiastic musician actively involved in music and the arts. Conn attended the University of Arizona in Tucson, where she studied art before transferring to California State University at Los Angeles, where she received a bachelor’s degree in art history. She continued her studies to qualify for a teaching certificate in elementary education, after which she completed a master’s degree in education, concentrating on teaching the gifted and talented. She married, and for a time she and her husband lived in Germany. She also traveled extensively in Europe, but her roots in California were strong and she always returned to her native state.
Conn’s career as a romance novelist began in 1983 with the publication of Love’s Elusive Flame. Conn had already raised two sons, Jeff and Drew, to maturity and had given little thought to beginning a writing career. She recalled that she shifted her interest after she saw a television commercial for Silhouette Romances featuring actor Ricardo Montalban. Conn turned to her son Jeff and asked him what he thought about her trying to write a romance novel. Jeff, an avid reader, unhesitatingly said, “Go for it, Mom,” and a new writing career was launched.
Conn at that time was an elementary school teacher, but she had the long summer vacation to explore the means by which she might become a writer. She immersed herself in romance novels, reading them voraciously and then making outlines of each one to determine how the characters were formulated and how the overall story was structured. She also studied books on how to write novels, realizing that she must take a professional approach if she was to succeed. Conn has said that, “Novice writers are always wise to take classes and really study the craft rather than simply. . . believe all they need is a quirky idea. Original ideas are wonderful, but they deserve to be presented to editors in a professional, polished manner.”
It is undoubtedly her professional approach that has resulted in Conn’s success as a romance novelist. Between the publication of her first novel in 1983 and the publication of Midnight Blue in May, 2006, Conn produced more than thirty romances. She emphasizes the need for potential authors to read as much as possible. Conn credits much of her interest in writing to her parents, who regularly read to her when she was a small child and encouraged her to read on her own.
Conn is a remarkably open and approachable writer. She can be reached through her website: http://www.phoebeconn.com/bio.html.