Australian author Janet Woods, who wrote 38 novels and was a member of several author associations, including the Romantic Novelists' Association and Romance Writers of Australia, has died, the Bookseller reported. She was 81. Her works included the A Dorset Girl series, Tall Poppies and Lady Lightfingers.
Kate Lyall Grant, her publisher, said: "I am very proud to have been Janet Woods’ publisher both at Simon & Schuster and, more recently, at Severn House. Her tales of dashing dukes, lovelorn heroines and scandalous secrets in Regency and Victorian England were characterized by a wonderful esprit and joie de vivre. I only met Janet once in person--and I only wish I could have seen her more often--but when I did, I was struck by her warmhearted, generous, bubbly personality, the same spirit which infused her writing. Both we and her readers will miss Janet very much, but I’m sure her writing will live on to entertain and enthrall future generations."
Agent Kate Nash added: "Janet became one of my very first agency clients in 2009. Her original agent, Bob Tanner at International Scripts, had died and his partner kindly came to my house with a big box of books and contracts, and a valuable verbal handover. I was thrilled. Janet’s novels were charming and clever, her acutely observed characters waded through dramas of family and love."
Alison Larsen, Woods's daughter, recalled: "Firstly and most importantly, Mum had to give all four of her children a personally signed book, for free. When Mum died she was still working on her latest story and we were all, as with each book, proudly looking forward to our next read, signed and complimentary of course."