Comments on: Who is Vivian Stephens?

By: Kate

Kate — Sun, 14 Aug 2005 21:29:24 +0000

Thanks Monica! I think this ought to be an article in RWR.

By: Lyn Cash

Lyn Cash — Fri, 12 Aug 2005 05:46:05 +0000

WTG, Monica! I’ve known that name since I first researched and found RWA, and it’s about time someone made note of her as you did.

Was great seeing you in Reno, by the way.

By: Brenda Coulter

Brenda Coulter — Tue, 09 Aug 2005 04:27:32 +0000

Thanks, Monica, for educating us. Here’s hoping this post will create some buzz and make people start asking why we’ve never heard of Vivian Stephens before now.

By: Màili

Màili — Mon, 08 Aug 2005 19:46:14 +0000

Ooh, that’s a good one. This is the sort we need to see more. I sometimes wondered about doing up a blog, profiling pioneers in the romance genre around the world over last few decades. Thanks, Monica, for putting a foot in my bottom to do something about it.

By: Charlene Teglia

Charlene Teglia — Mon, 08 Aug 2005 17:14:38 +0000

Thank you for posting this wonderful piece of RWA history, Monica. Vivian’s achievements certainly deserve a salute!

By: Monica

Monica — Mon, 08 Aug 2005 15:54:48 +0000

I read Kathryn Falk’s book years ago, when I first got it into my head that I wanted to write a romance. The memories! It eventually fell apart.

Vivian lives in Houston! How easy would it have been for RWA to get a photo and interview. I talked to her a couple times years ago and she is very helpful, open and warm while being direct and to the point also.

She’d read one of my books and told me very nice things. While my head was still swelling, she told me that I was no romance writer, but a mainstream fiction writer. Snap!

By: Anna Lucia

Anna Lucia — Mon, 08 Aug 2005 14:57:43 +0000

Thanks so much for this education, Monica. That’s a past to be proud of, and one all RWA members should be aware of.

By: EmJay

EmJay — Mon, 08 Aug 2005 14:53:22 +0000

I’ve heard of Vivian Stephens. She contributed a chapter to Kathryn Falk’s How to Write a Romance and Get It Published, which I first checked out from the library and then decided I had to buy. This was back in the mid-eighties. I was a high school student at the time.

By: ZaZa

ZaZa — Mon, 08 Aug 2005 11:56:28 +0000

Well, if that doesn’t just take the damn cake! Thanks so much for posting this, MonicA. I’m new to RWA and had never heard of Vivian. I can’t imagine how they could have even considered holding a ceremony celebrating 25 years of the organization she founded without having her there, let alone, apparently, without mentioning her name. The makes it even more of a fiasco than I’d heard. Shaking my head.

By: mary beth

mary beth — Mon, 08 Aug 2005 11:41:33 +0000

Wonderful column Monica!