Susan Wiggs
Author of The Lost and Found Bookshop
About the Author
After graduating from Harvard University, Susan Wiggs became a math teacher. While working, she started writing her first novel which was published in 1987. She has written numerous romance novels since then including Home Before Dark, A Summer Affair, The Charm School and Candlelight Christmas. show more She has won three RITA awards for Lakeside Cottage, Lord of the Night and The Mistress. She has written a number of notable series, including; Lakeshore Chronicles and Bella Vista Chronicles. Susan's title, Family Tree, is a New York Times, USA Today, Toronto Globe and Mail, and Publisher Weekly bestseller. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Series
Works by Susan Wiggs
Summer Brides (The Borrowed Bride / A Bridge to Dreams / Sister of the Bride) (2010) — Contributor — 122 copies, 2 reviews
More Than Words: Stories of Courage (2008 Publication, 3-in-1) (2008) — Contributor — 59 copies, 1 review
It Happened One Christmas (The St. James Affair / A Catered Affair / A Philadelphia Affair) (2003) — Contributor — 54 copies
How I Planned Your Wedding: The All-True Story of a Mother and Daughter Surviving the Happiest Day of Their Lives (2011) 32 copies, 3 reviews
Lakeshore Chronicles, Books 1-3 (Summer at Willow Lake / The Winter Lodge / Dockside) (2015) 2 copies
Lakeshore Chronicles, Books 7-9 (The Summer Hideaway / Marrying Daisy Bellamy / Return to Willow Lake) (2016) 2 copies
Lakeshore Chronicles, Books 4-6 (Snowfall at Willow Lake / Fireside / Lakeshore Christmas) (2015) 2 copies
Zomer op het eiland 1 copy
Lezioni di fascino (eLit) 1 copy
Thuis bij zonsopgang 1 copy
Ster voor een nacht 1 copy
How to be Irresistible 1 copy
Land van honing 1 copy
Het mooiste verhaal 1 copy
Susan Wiggs The Lakeshore Chronicles Series: Books 1-2: Summer at Willow Lake & The Winter Lodge (2017) 1 copy
Susan Wigg's Lakeshore Chronicles 8 book set: The Summer Hideaway/Lakeshore Christmas/Fireside/Summer at Willow… (2011) 1 copy
Fallen Angel 1 copy
HISTORICAL ROMANCES - HR 1 copy
Le onde del destino (eLit) 1 copy
In perfecte harmonie 1 copy
A Summer Place 1 copy
Two Hearts in the Snow (Cinderfella | Next Time...Forever | Dating Her Boss | A Groom for Red Riding Hood) (2014) — Contributor — 1 copy
Associated Works
That Summer Place (Old Things / Private Paradise / Island Time) (1998) — Contributor — 400 copies, 3 reviews
The Secrets of Bella Vista [2022 TV movie] — Author — 2 copies
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Canonical name
- Wiggs, Susan
- Other names
- Childress, Susan Marie
- Birthdate
- 1959-05-17
- Gender
- female
- Nationality
- USA
- Birthplace
- Olean, New York, USA
- Places of residence
- Bainbridge Island, Washington, USA
- Education
- Harvard University (M.Ed)
- Occupations
- Novelist
- Relationships
- Wiggs, Jay (husband)
Wiggs, Elizabeth (daughter) - Organizations
- Romance Writers of America
Authors Guild
Field's End
Novelists Inc.
Bainbridge Island Land Trust
West Sound Wildlife Shelter (show all 8)
P.O.E.M.
Purple Amoeba - Awards and honors
- RITA Award (1993, 2000, 2001,2006)
Holt Medallion
Blue Boa Award
Colorado Award of Excellence - Agent
- Meg Ruley
Peggy Gordijn
Reka Rubin - Short biography
- Using blunt scissors, pages from a Big Chief tablet, a borrowed stapler and a Number Two pencil, Susan Wiggs self-published her first novel at the age of eight. A Book About Some Bad Kids [I still have this-CL] was based on the true-life adventures of Susan and her siblings, and the first printing of one copy was a complete sell-out.
Due to her brother's extreme reaction to that first prodigious effort, Susan went underground with her craft, entertaining her friends and offending her siblings with anonymously-written stories of virtuous sisters and the brothers who torment them. The first romance she ever read was Shanna by the incomparable Kathleen Woodiwiss, which she devoured while slumped behind a college vector analysis textbook. Armed with degrees from SFA and Harvard, and toting a crate of "keeper" books by Woodiwiss, Roberta Gellis, Laurie McBain, Rosemary Rodgers, Jennifer Blake, Bertrice Small and anything with the words "flaming" and "ecstasy" in the title, she became a math teacher, just to prove to the world that she did have a left brain.
Late one night, she finished the book she was reading and was confronted with a reader's worst nightmare—She was wide awake, and there wasn't a thing in the house she wanted to read. Figuring this was the universe's way of taking away her excuses, she picked up a Big Chief tablet and a Number Two pencil, and began writing her novel with the working title, A Book About Some Bad Adults. Actually, that was a bad book about some adults, but Susan persevered, learning her craft the way skydiving is learned—by taking a blind leap and hoping the chute will open.
Her first book was published (without the use of blunt scissors and a stapler) by Zebra in 1987, and since then she has been published by Avon, Tor, HarperCollins, Harlequin, Warner and Mira Books. Unable to completely abandon her beloved teaching profession, Susan is a frequent workshop leader and speaker at writers' conferences, including the literary institution Fields End and the legendary Maui Writers Conference. Her novel The Charm School was voted one of RWA's Favorite Books of the Year. She is the proud recipient of three RITA awards for Lakeside Cottage, Lord of the Night and The Mistress, and is often a finalist for the prestigious award. Her books appear regularly on numerous "Best Of" lists.
Susan enjoys many hobbies, including sitting in the hot tub while talking to her mother on the phone, kickboxing, cleaning the can opener, sculpting with butter and growing her hair. She lives on an island in the Pacific Northwest with her family.
Members
Discussions
Contemporary Romance, husband "dies" in car accident in Name that Book (September 2016)
Reviews
Lists
Awards
You May Also Like
Associated Authors
Statistics
- Works
- 129
- Also by
- 10
- Members
- 20,046
- Popularity
- #1,081
- Rating
- 3.7
- Reviews
- 598
- ISBNs
- 1,278
- Languages
- 17
- Favorited
- 46
Susan Wiggs' "The Lost and Found Bookshop" is a charming novel about a young woman who is struggling emotionally, even before an unexpected tragedy forces her to take over Blythe's store and look after Andrew, whom she calls Grandy. The characters are beautifully delineated, and Wiggs handles such themes as love, fate, grief, and the tough decisions that can make or break us with warmth, humor, and compassion. Suddenly, Natalie finds herself juggling a great many tasks, such as renovating the dilapidated bookshop and balancing its books. At least, Blythe had hired a handyman, Peach Gallagher, who is good-natured, hard-working, and skilled at electrical work, plumbing, and carpentry. Moreover, Natalie worries about her grandfather, who is becoming increasingly frail. When Grandy is up to it, he and Natalie reminisce about the past, look into their family history, and make some surprising discoveries.
Thanks to a series of serendipitous events, the heroine meets a wealthy and handsome children's book author who becomes infatuated with her. Should she quit her old job and try to save a failing business that can never turn a profit? Why not marry a rich man who will give her the security that she needs? A third option is to sell the shop and place Grandy in an assisted living facility. We can relate to Natalie's confusion and uncertainty as she tries to put her priorities in order. The most satisfying aspects of this enchanting tale are its emphasis on the glory of reading for pleasure; the importance of bonding with our loved ones before it is too late; and the joy we derive from friends who share our values and interests. Although the conclusion is a bit too pat and predictable, on the whole "The Lost and Found Bookshop" is a delightful and engrossing work of fiction.… (more)