Credited with being the mother of the modern romance novel, Kathleen E. Woodiwiss (1939-2007) published her first romance novel, The Flame and the Flower, in 1972 and changed the genre forever. A bestseller, her first book opened up a new style of writing romance that focused on longer and more elaborate plots, more controversial situations and characters, and steamier sex scenes. Woodiwiss went on to publish thirteen more bestselling novels, including Petals on the River, Shanna, and Everlasting.