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Author-spotlight-VAUGHAN

Author Spotlight: Robert Vaughan

Author-spotlight-VAUGHAN

A Romance King (and Queen)

Robert Vaughan, An Author with Many Names

Robert Vaughan isn’t a household name as a romance writer. You might be surprised to learn that in the 20th century he sold tens of millions of books. However, as he used dozens of pseudonyms, many readers do not know who he is.

His pen names include Paula Fairman, K.C. McKenna, Paula Moore, Fancy DeWitt, Patricia Matthews, Jonathon Scofield, Lee Davis Willoughby, Kit Dalton, and Sara Luck.

Vaughan has written more than 300 to 400 books using 30 to 40 aliases.

He has penned various genres of fiction, including romance, action-adventure, military, and westerns.

Robert Vaughan Paula Fairman

Early Life and Military Career

Robert Vaughan was born in 1937 in Morley, Missouri, and raised in Sikeston, Missouri. His father served in the military. Robert followed in his father’s tracks in the late 1950s, entering Army Aviation. 

He served a distinguished career in the US Army as a soldier for 23 years. He had tours in Korea and Germany and three combat tours in Vietnam.

Vaughan would participate in the atmospheric nuclear bomb tests in 1957.

He engaged in the civil-rights deployment of James Meredith’s enrollment at the University of Mississippi. Vaughan was stationed to Homestead AFB as part of the potential invasion force during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

As a helicopter pilot in Vietnam, Vaughan received the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Purple Heart, The Bronze Star, the Air Medal, and other medals.

During his military career, his creative talents came to the forefront. Vaughan wrote training manuals for the US Army and was the recipient of the Most Outstanding Military Writer six times. 

robert vaughan

A Journeyman Author Begins His Travels

Vaughan sold his first book when he was 19. It was a story of the US Army along the DMZ in Korea.

After Vaughan was discharged from the Army, he began his prolific writing career in earnest. He worked in almost every genre.

Sometimes he would publish under his real name, write under a pseudonym, or he would ghostwrite for other authors.

brandywine's war

Paula Fairman & Paula Moore

Under various pen names, including “Paula Moore” and “Paula Fairman,” Vaughan wrote romance novels that were extremely popular at the time they were written.

In 1977 Paula Fairman achieved massive sales with two bodice rippers, Forbidden Destiny and In Savage Splendor.

The books sold millions of copies for Pinnacle, who published many successful historical romances in the 1970s.

When Paul Fairman–the real Paula–passed away late that year, he left behind one unfinished manuscript. Robert Vaughan stepped in to continue writing as Paula Fairman.

He wrote a dozen more Paula Fairman bestsellers from 1978 to 1991.

southern ros solie

Some of those books would be republished in the 21st century under the name Fancy Dewitt.

As Paula Moore, Vaughan also authored historical, contemporary, and Gothic romances.

Patricia Matthews

Patricia Matthews was another best-selling Pinnacle author. The publisher even labeled her as “America’s First Lady of Historical Romance.” Matthews earned many awards, and her books sold millions of copies.

Patricia Matthews was–ostensibly–the working name of the husband and wife team, Patricia Klein Ernst Brisco Matthews & Clayton Matthews. Patricia also wrote under the pseudonyms of P.A. Brisco, Patty Brisco, Pat A. Brisco, Pat Brisco, Laura Wylie, and Denise Matthews with a friend.

Clayton passed away in 2004, and Patricia followed him in 2006.

However, Robert Vaughan is on record claiming to be the author of at least two of Matthews’ novels, Love’s Bold Journey (1980) and Love’s Sweet Agony (1980):

“I wrote [them] as Patricia Matthews, made number one on the list. In 1981, I sold 6 million books. In my lifetime, I have probably sold 40 million books, but nobody knows who I am.

ROBERT VAUGHAN
love's bold journey

All the Work, But Little Credit

Vaughan has been candid about being the creator of two dozen bestselling romances from the 1970s into the 1990s, including the aforementioned Matthews novels.

“[T]wenty-three romance novels, writing as Paula Moore, Paula Fairman, and Patricia Matthews, total sales of over fifteen million copies. Two of these romance novels, Love’s Bold Journey and Love’s Sweet Agony, were number one on the NYT and PW bestseller lists.”  

ROBERT VAUGHAN

As a journeyman ghostwriter, Vaughan never owned the rights to those names. As a result, he never received his due acclaim for his success.

Other Works of Fiction by Robert Vaughan

Among his notable non-romance books are: Survival: A Novel of The Donner Party; Brandywine’s War; The Valkyrie Mandate; The Power and the Pride; Gravedancer; When Honor Dies; and The Broken Covenant.

Vaughan was very proud of his work for the novelization of the television miniseries, Andersonville.

robert vaughan

He won the 1977 Porgie Award (Best Paperback Original) for The Power and the Pride.

powerand the pride vaughan

Sara Luck

He and his wife, Ruth, collaborate on their writing projects. Of course, they write romance!

“My wife Ruth and I are co-writing romance novels as Sara Luck. 

“She’s actually quite good at it, and I’m proud of her. And though the Sara Luck books don’t have my name, Ruth and I at least own the name.”

ROBERT VAUGHAN

In the 2010s, Robert and Ruth co-wrote nine novels together.

sara luck

Life Today

Vaughan enjoys classical music and loves football, particularly college football. He also enjoys cooking and public speaking and will “accept invitations at the drop of a hat.”

He and his wife split their time living on the Alabama coast, residing in places all over the country, such as Oregon, Wyoming, and Chicago.

For many years Robert Vaughan taught the writing craft to many aspiring authors.

Although Vaughan has retired from the official speaking circuit, he is still active today.

Writing Legacy

A Pulitzer Prize nominee, Vaughan has won many prestigious writing awards. They include the Western Writers of America Spur Award, the Lifetime Achievement Award from Golden Triangle Writers Club, the Best Novel of the Vietnam War from Canadian University Symposium, and the Porgie Award from West Coast Books.

He was named the Best Military Writer of the Year by Army Aviation Digest for six consecutive years. Vaughan was an on-air Television personality in Portsmouth, VA, and Phoenix, AZ. In addition, he has been a national military consultant for FOX NEWS and CNN.

Robert Vaughan was inducted into the Writers’ Hall of Fame in 1998. His memoir, Random Thoughts of an Old Writer, was released in 2021 by Wolfpack Publishing.

Random Thoughts of an Old Writer

Robert Vaughan Covers

Your Opinion

Are you surprised to learn how prolific and successful a romance writer Robert Vaughan was? Have you read any Robert Vaughan romances?

As always, please drop a comment, and let’s talk romance!

romance author pseudonym

Romance Authors With Pseudonyms

Romance-Author-pseudonyms-1

Romance Pen Names (aka Noms de Plume, Aliases, and Author Pseudonyms)

How many romance authors use their real names to write books? Certainly not all of them!

The use of pseudonyms exists in all fields of writing. Author and raconteur Mark Twain was born Samuel “Longhorn” Clemens. George Eliot was a woman named Mary Ann Evans. Even J.K. Rowling shortened her real name, Joanne Kathleen, to publish her Harry Potter blockbusters.

In the romance genre, an author might use a pen-name for various reasons. Perhaps their real name lacks a certain je ne sais quoi.

Some romance writers produce fiction in multiple genres, so they use different names. There are male novelists who want to appeal to the majority female audience. Or they could be a married couple or duo who need a catchy nom-de-plume.

What’s in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet…

ROMEO AND JULIET, WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

Romance Author Pseudonym List

Below is a brief list of writers and their pen names. Thousands of authors use aliases; therefore, this is a short compilation. Here we included only those novelists we have reviewed, highlighted, or soon will review.

With each romance author’s pseudonym, we provide a book or link to a book review. We will add more names to the master list as we come upon them.

NOTE: For more writer aliases or their real names, go to the ROMANCE AUTHOR PSEUDONYM PAGE that is linked under the main AUTHORS page.

List of Pen Names

AUTHOR NAMEBOOK (clickable link)OTHER PSEUDONYMSREAL NAME
Rosalyn Alsobrookrunaway brideGina Delaney
Jalynn Friends
Rosalyn R. Alsobrook
Judith Arnoldchange of lifeAriel Berk
Thea Frederick
Barbara Keiler
Lara AdrianLara Adrian Lara Adrian
Iris BancroftRapture's rebelAndrea Layton
Iris Brent
Iris Bancroft
Janice BennettTangled WebEileen WittonJanice Bennett
Jennifer BlakeLouisiana DawnElizabeth Trehearne Patricia Ponder
Patricia Maxwell
Maxine Patrick
Patricia Ponder-Maxwell
Laurey BrightThe Perfect Marriage, Laurey Bright 1995 Diane SivavecDaphne Clair
Clair Lorel
Clarissa Garland Daphne de Jong
Daphne Clair Williams de Jong
Phoebe Conntender savage phoebe connCinnamon BurkePhoebe Jane Conn Ingwalson
Emma DarcyDon't Ask Me NowWendy & Frank Brennan
Katherine Deauxvilleblood red roses frontM. H. Davis
Maggie Daniels
Maggie Davis
Maggie Hill-Davis
Teresa Denysthe silver devil teresa denysJacqui Bianchi
Jude Devereauxthe black lyon george zielJude Gilliam Montassir
Jacqueline Diamondone husband too manyJackie Hyman
Jackie Diamond Hyman Jacqueline Topaz Jacqueline Jade
Jackie Diamond Hyman Wilson
Kathleen DrymonDestiny’s SplendorKathleen McCallKathleen Drymon
Jane Featherbeloved enemyClaudia BishopJane Robotham
Connie Finchlone star surrenderGina Robins
Debra Falcon
Connie Drake
Connie Fedderson
Peggy GaddisShadows on the Moon
Georgia Craig
Gail Jordan
Perry Lindsay
Peggy Dern
Erolie Pearl Gaddis Dern
Roberta GellisSiren SongMax Daniels
Leah Jacobs
Priscilla Hamilton
Roberta Gellis
Georgina GentryBandit’s EmbraceLynne Murphy
Catherine Georgecome back to meDeirdre Matthews
Victoria Gordonarafura pirateGordon AalborgGordon Aalborg
Heather GrahamLiar’s MoonShannon Drake
Heather Graham-Pozzessere
Heather Graham Pozzessere
Dorothy HeatoncherishmybelovedMary Cummins
Susan Taylor
Mary Susan Cummins
Melissa HepburnePassion's Proud CaptiveLisa LenoreCraige Broude
Kathryn Hockettsweet savage surrenderMarcia Hockett & Kathy Lynn Kramer
Deana JamesCaptive AngelRachel Davies
Mona Sizer
Mona D. Sizer
Kristin JamesThe YankeeLisa Gregory
Sharon Stephens Candace Camp
Candace Camp
Penny JordanEscape From DesireCaroline Courtney Annie Groves
Lydia Hitchcock Melinda Wright
Penelope Jones-Halsall
Kathryn KramerLove’s Blazing EcstasyKatherine Vickery; Kathryn HockettKathy Lynn Kramer
Jayne Ann KrentzThe CowboyJayne Bentley
Jayne Castle
Amanda Glass Stephanie James
Amanda Quick
Jayne Taylor
Jayne Ann Castle Krentz
Charlotte LambCrescendoSheila Coates
Sheila Holland
Victoria Woolf
Laura Hardy
Sheila Lancaster
Sheila Coates-Holland
Andrea Laytonso wild a raptureIris BancroftIris Bancroft
Leandra LoganDillon after darkMary Schulz
Laura LondonLightning that lingersTom & Sharon Curtis
Marsha ManningYesterday's LoveHettie GrimsteadHettie Grimstead
Connie Masonleslie pellegrino peckCara MilesConnie Mason
Anne MatherStormSpellMildred Grieveson
Kay McMahonVirginia VixenCatherine EmmCatherine Emm
Fern MichaelsTender WarriorMary Ruth Kuczkir (& Roberta Anderson)
Constance O’Banyondakota dremasMicha LeighEvelyn Gee
Diana PalmerNelsons BrandSusan Kyle; Diana Blayne; Katy CurrieSusan Spaeth
Natasha Peters Dangerous ObsessionAnastasia CleaverElizabeth Jordan
Dana RansomRosalyn West
Nancy Gideon
Lauren Giddings
Nancy Gideon
Louisa Rawlingswicked strangerEna Halliday
Sylvia Halliday
Sylvia Rosen Baumgarten
Barbara Riefetempt not this fleshAlan RiefeAlan Riefe
Nora Roberts Night ShiftJ. D. Robb
Jill March
Sarah Hardesty
Eleonor Robertson
Maura Segerthe perfect coupleMaeve Fitzgerald
Anne MacNeill
Jenny Bates
Sara Jennings
Laurel Winslow
Laura Michaels
Laura Hastings
Josie Litton
Maura Seger
Janette Seymouremmies loveMike Butterworth
Carola Salisbury
Michael Butterworth
Valerie SherwoodBorn to LoveRosamund RoyalJeanne Hines
Lass Smallfour dollars and fifty one cents lass smallCally Hughes
Callie Hugher
Lass Small
Sally Wentworththe lion rockDoreen Hornsblow
Tiffany WhiteCheap ThrillsAnna Eberhardt
Jennifer WildeAngel In Scarlet duilloT.E. Huff
Edwina Marlowe Beatrice Parker Katherine St. Clair
Thomas E. Huff
Lauren WildeNebraska fires bruce emmettJoanne ReddJoanne Redd
Gina Wilkinschanging the rulesGina Ferris
Gina Ferris Wilkins
Gina Ferris Vaughan Wilkins
Jeanne Williamsa lady bought with riflesMegan Castell
Jeanne Crecy
Jeanne Foster
Deirdre Rowan
Kristian Michaels
J.R. Williams
Jeanne Williams

***For a more extensive list, go to the ROMANCE AUTHOR PSEUDONYM PAGE.***

Your Opinion

If you don’t see a pen name listed above, please let us know. Did you know these authors went by other names?

Please drop a comment below and let us know what you think!