BURGE, Wendy

PERSONAL: Born in Chicago, IL; daughter of a writer; divorced; children: Matthew Rice.

ADDRESSES: Home—Southern California. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Kensington Publishing Group, Zebra Books, 850 Third Ave., 16th Floor, New York, NY 10022. E-mail—wendy@wendyburge.com.

CAREER: Writer of romantic fiction. Worked as a stockbroker and self-employed interior designer.

MEMBER: Romance Writers of America (Orange County, CA, chapter copresident).

WRITINGS:

Love Me Again, Zebra (New York, NY), 2002. While You Slept, Zebra (New York, NY), 2003.

SIDELIGHTS: Wendy Burge's writing career grew from her love of historical romance novels. A single mother since her now-grown son was a child, she worked as a stockbroker until her realization that she did not want him coming home to an empty house caused her to switch gears and start an interior design business that she could run from home.

Burge's first publishing attempt, a story sent to Cosmopolitan when she was a teen, was personally rejected by Helen Gurley Brown. Burge told Romance Reader's Cathy Sova that she threw away the two-page letter, an action she now regrets. But her fervor to publish was dampened, and she did not write again until 1995. The book, While You Slept, is actually her second published novel. Several editors showed interest in it, but Burge rushed to finish it when her mother, who was dying of cancer, sent her away and told her not to come back until it was done. She completed it in two weeks and mailed it. The book in that form was rejected, and after Burge's mother passed away, she moved in with her father and began her first published novel, Love Me Again.

The story is set in 1808. Christina and her husband, Varek Von Vischering, Archduke of Austenberg, are deeply in love, but when she suffers her seventh miscarriage, by law Varek is forced to divorce her and seek another wife to provide an heir. He does, but as his daughter is born, his second wife dies, leaving him a widower who finds solace with a number of mistresses.

Christina finds her way to England where she marries Robert St. Pole, and they have a son they name Eddie. When she and Robert attend an event in Vienna, Christina and Varek meet again. He is upset because she has remarried, and she tells him she could not have remained and been his lover. But they are drawn to each other by their still-burning, all-consuming passion.

Ellen D. Micheletti reviewed the novel for All about Romance online, calling Varek an "unlikable, overbearing, egomaniacal, over-the-top alpha jerk. . . . At one point he blames Christina for his problems with his current mistress Sofia. If Christina had only waited for his second wife to die, he would not have had to dismiss Sofia and put up with her tantrums."

Julie Singleton wrote at Escape to Romance online that "Burge's obvious knowledge of the intricacies of European policy at this historical time in Napoleonic history lends a substance to her work. . . . Burge aptly captures the tortured hearts of her main characters as Europe races towards war and Christina and Varek race toward a final confrontation." Booklist's John Charles called Love Me Again "a romance perfect for readers who enjoy richly detailed, sensuously passionate historicals." Kathe Robin said at Romantic Times online that "Burge's fresh voice and powerful, emotional writing style shows she has promise."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Booklist, October 15, 2002, John Charles, review of Love Me Again, p. 393.

ONLINE

All about Romance,http://www.allaboutromance.com/ (January 21, 2003), Ellen D. Micheletti, review of Love Me Again.

Escape to Romance,http://www.escapetoromance.com/ (January 21, 2003), Julie Singleton, review of Love Me Again.

Romance Reader,http://www.theromancereader.com/ (January 21, 2003), Cathy Sova, "New Faces 133: Wendy Burge," author interview.

Romantic Times,http://www.romantictimes.com/ (January 21, 2003), Kathe Robin, review of Love Me Again.

Wendy Burge Home Page,http://www.wendyburge.com/ (May 9, 2003).*