Linda S. Howington was born on August 3, 1950, in Alabama, United States. She is an American author who writes best-selling books in the romance and suspense genres. She uses the pen name Linda Howard for her writing.

Biography

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

Howington joined the Romance Writers of America (RWA) in 1981, shortly after the organization was created. She held the position of Region 3 Director until October 31, 2008. In 2017, Howard criticized the RWA’s efforts to include more non-white authors, stating on an internal forum, “Diversity for the sake of diversity is discrimination.” Her statement caused controversy and led Howington to resign from the organization.

Her husband was a professional bass tournament fisherman, and she traveled with him while working 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.