About LAUREN LAYNE
I'm a New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of contemporary romance books. I write classic, timeless stories about falling in love in a modern world.
I enjoy my coffee and cocktails strong, my popcorn super salty, and my book heroes with major Mr. Darcy vibes.
once upon a time...
There was a girl who read Nancy Drew stories more for the Ned Nickerson references than the mystery.
Then she discovered there was an entire genre devoted to stories about people falling in love, and her fate was sealed.
She wanted to write books. And she wanted them to involve accidental hand-brushes, longing looks, and first kisses where tempers are simmering and the woman is pinned against the wall, the man's heart in her hand...
but wow, did it take me awhile to get there...
I often get asked if I always wanted to be a writer, and the answer is an unequivocal "absolutely!" I can't even remember a time when author didn't sound like the best job in the entire world.
You'd think with this kind of clarity of vision, I'd have, you know, made it happen. Nope. I went to college with the intent being an English major, and left with a Political Science degree. After graduation, paying bills was my #1 priority, so I got a job in the corporate world, first as a receptionist, then as an e-commerce/web marketing manager.
Then I spent years talking about wanting to be a writer, whining that I "couldn't" be a writer, but, you know, never actually writing. Somewhere around 27, I realized I was absolutely sick of myself: tired of making excuses, but never actually doing the work.
I realized nobody was going to make it easy for me. If I wanted to be a writer, I'd have to make some changes. I started going to bed early so that I could wake up at 4 or 5am to write before work. I gave most of my social life for a few months, so that I could write 8-10k words every Saturday and Sunday from an airplane hanger in Puyallup Washington while my husband built a brewery set-up.
A few months later, I finished my first novel.
My ORIGIN STORY
"making it"
The NEW YORK CHAPTER
Just days after typing The End on my first novel, my husband got an unexpected job offer in New York City. We'd never even been to Manhattan, but we said yes. I quit my job, we moved across the country, and spent the next year absorbing multiple rejections, finally getting an agent, going into debt, getting a publisher, going into more debt, publishing a book, going into more debt. Through it all I kept writing, kept publishing books until finally, finally, I was able to make enough money to live on. And then I matched my corporate salary. And then I exceeded my corporate salary.
Finally, somewhere in my early-mid-30s, I realized I'd become the woman that Nancy Drew reading girl dreamed of being: I was an author.
The moral of the story: following my biggest dream may not be easy or smooth-saling, but I sure would have hated if I'd never tried.
Lauren Layne is a New York Times bestselling author of romantic fiction. With millions of books sold worldwide, Lauren has been featured on Inside Edition, The Wall Street Journal, BuzzFeed, TheSkimm, Oprah Magazine, PopSugar, and Cosmopolitan magazine. She lives in New York City with her high school sweetheart.
aka TL:DR version
The OFFICIAL BIO
as featured in
fast facts
Things nobody has asked me.
I write contemporary romance, but (mostly) only read Regency romance. Especially if waltzing is involved!
In true New Yorker cliché fashion, my wardrobe is about 85% all black, even in summer!
I eat the same breakfast about 27 days out of the month: scrambled eggs, sautéd spinach, and a piece of toast.
I don't really enjoy travel. I feel like I'm supposed to, but I'm happiest when I have nowhere to be or go.
Your at-a-glance guide to where I stand on all the really crucial stuff...
the quiz
favorite indulgence
Extra-Toasty Cheez-Its & Bugles
non-guilty pleasure
Weekly fresh flowers
favorite rom-com
While You Were Sleeping
take my money
Parachute Bedding
favorite superhero
Captain America
drink of choice
Woodford Manhattan, no cherry
morning alarm, or...
5am club, baby!
listening to
Michael Bublé or Taylor Swift
writing uniform
Vuori joggers + Gap crew tee
favorite show to binge
New Girl. Nick Miller forever.
My REAL LIFE Love STORY
I married my high school sweetheart!
Writing about fictional happily-ever-after is literally my day job, but honestly? My real-life version is better than anything than I could ever write. Anthony and I met at Bellarmine Prep in Tacoma Washington when we were fifteen, started dating at seventeen, and were married at twenty-three. Many (many!) years later, he's still my best friend and biggest supporter.
For better or financially worse...
You know you've got one of the good ones when he doesn't even flinch at: "Hey, so I'm going to quit my really well-paying day-job, give up all the cushy benefits that come with, and try to make a living writing romance novels." Or when he reassures you that sometimes things get worse before they get better after quitting said-job results in just a wee bit (😳) of credit card debt. (Spoiler alert, things got way better, it just took awhile). He also knew exactly what to say when those early agent rejections rolled in to keep my spirts up, and is still my biggest cheerleader.
A creative parnter
Because Anth and I are both full-time creatives, we've worked from home for the past decade. Which translates us to spending almost 24/7 together. As you can imagine, we've gotten a lot of "how in the world do you do it?" questions, and the truth is: it's really not that hard, because we're partners. While we each have our own endeavors, we do a lot together. Whether it's building author websites, travel blogging for Holiday Inn Club Vacations, or writing a screenplay (and a book!) together, I'm a big believer that couples who create together, stay together!
high school!
Anthony LeDonne
I often refer to him as "Mr. Layne," but obviously, he's so much more than his relationship to me. Like, a lot more. He's a true polymath, one of those multi-passionate, modern-Renaissance man who has no use for that "niche down" cliche. In addition to his "first love" of being a standup comedian, he's Mr. Pink Shirt guy on Epicurious (I cannot tell you how many times he's been recognized on the street). He's an actor, award-winning photographer, web designer, amateur bartender, legit home chef, skilled tech nerd, author, and screenplay writer. Whew. most important to me though, he's a really good dad to our elderly pomeranian! 🥰
anth's website
The NEWSLETTER
No nonsense. Just choose how often you want updates.
