Linda S. Howington was born on August 3, 1950, in Alabama, United States. She is an American author who writes popular romance and suspense books. She uses the pen name Linda Howard when publishing her work.

Biography

Howington began writing stories at the age of nine and continued writing for twenty years for her own enjoyment. She worked at a trucking company where she met her husband, Gary F. Howington. In 1980, she decided to try to publish her writing. After writing for 21 years, she submitted a novel for publication, and it was very successful. Her first published book, All That Glitters, came out in 1982 through Silhouette.

Howington joined the Romance Writers of America (RWA) in 1981, shortly after the organization was created. She served as Region 3 Director until October 31, 2008. In 2017, Howard wrote on an internal forum that "Diversity for the sake of diversity is discrimination," criticizing the RWA's efforts to include more non-white authors. Her comments caused controversy, and she resigned from the organization.

Howington’s husband worked as a professional bass tournament fisherman. She traveled with him and wrote stories on her laptop. The couple lived on a farm in Alabama, where they raised cattle and had two dogs. Linda’s husband passed away on January 3, 2025.