Helen Brooks

Rita was born on 1950 in Northampton, England, where she was educated as a good Christian by her mother Vi Whitsey. She met Clive, her husband, at the age of 16 and now the magic is still there. They have three lovely children, Cara, Faye, and Benjamin. For years, Rita worked as secretary.

Rita began writing in 1990 as she approached that milestone of a birthday 40! She realized her two teenage ambitions (writing a novel and learning to drive) had been lost amid babies and hectic family life, so set about resurrecting them. She sent off a 55,000 word romance called Deceitful Lover to Mills & Boon, that was accepted after one rewrite in 1992 under the pseudonym Helen Brooks, and she passed her driving test (the former was a joy and the latter an unmitigated nightmare!)

Under her pen name has written many successful novels and several delightful sagas under her own name, Rita Bradshaw, since 1998. Since becoming a full-time writer Rita's life has been transformed, she has been able to give up her part time secretarial job to write full time and her husband Clive, has also given up his job to become her manager. She has found her occupation one of pure joy and often surprised when her characters develop a mind of their own but she loves exploring what makes people tick and finds the old adage "truth is stranger than fiction" to be absolutely true. Her Mills & Boon books have attracted fans in more than 25 countries around the world. She would love to hear from any readers care of her books.

While Rita still lives today in Northamptonshire with her family, she has always had a great fondness for the north-east, where her novels are set, as well as historical family connections in that area. Although having enjoyed some wonderful holidays abroad she has never been tempted to live anywhere else, although she rather likes the idea of a holiday home close to the sea one day. The family have always had a menagerie of animals in the house, which at the present is confined to two endearing and very comical dogs who would make a great double act on TV! The children, friends, and pets all keep the house buzzing and the food cupboards empty but she wouldn't have it any other way. Being a committed Christian and fervent animal lover she finds spare time is always at a premium, but long walks in the countryside with her husband and dogs, meals out followed by the cinema or theatre, reading, swimming, and having friends over for dinner are all fitted in somehow. She also enjoys sitting in her wonderfully therapeutic, rambling old garden in the sun with a glass of red wine, (under the guise of resting while thinking of course!