Author, Romancing the Stone and Jewel of the Nile

Romancing Success: Realize your Dreams

One of the most prolific romance novelists of our time and author of the classics Romancing the Stone and Jewel of the Nile, Catherine Lanigan has achieved the kind of success about which most people only dream. Yet as an aspiring journalist and college student, she abandoned her calling for fourteen years when a writing teacher told her she had no talent. Years later, at age 36, she was diagnosed with cervical cancer. Two seemingly insurmountable challenges—and Lanigan conquered both, going on to publish twenty five books in twenty four years and remaining cancer free. At the podium, she brings her insights gained through her incredible experiences for an exciting and empowering lecture event.

Born in La Porte, Indiana, Lanigan has now been writing professionally since 1979, after a writer encouraged her to give her talent another shot. Within a four month period she wrote her first novel, acquired an agent and had two publishing houses bidding on the book. As Lanigan built her publishing career, she also established and operated one of Houston’s largest and most successful swimming pool construction companies, working six days a week and writing at night and on Sundays. Her busy life was abruptly changed forever, when, at age 36, she was diagnosed with a life-threatening illness. From a clear pap test, in less than four months, Lanigan was found to have a very aggressive and invasive cervical cancer. Due to her knowlege of cancer's warning signals and her own early detection, her life was saved.

Lanigan’s most recent book, The Christmas Star, has garnered several national awards, including Book of the Year Award, Romance Category, from ForeWord Magazine; Book of the Year Award, Romance Category, Reader’s Preference; and the Gold Medal/Phenomenal from Romantic Times Review Magazine. In addition to her novels, which have been translated into twenty-seven languages around the world, Ms. Lanigan has written two non-fiction books. The Evolving Woman: Intimate Confessions of Surviving Mr. Wrong, is a compilation of real stories of women who have triumphed over adversity and left abusive marriages and relationships. Lanigan appeared on Montel Williams' television show, because of her expertise gained by talking to and corresponding with thousands of women at dozens of shelters across America. Angel Watch: Goosebumps, Signs, Dreams and Divine Nudges is a spiritual autobiography in which she chronicles true stories of angelic intervention and the divine in her life, her mother's, father's and grandparents. A second Angel Watch book is in the offing and due out next year, and a television show based on the series of books is in development.

With heartfelt and inspiring stories such as these, it is only natural Lanigan would seek to bring them to the big screen. Her latest venture is as CEO of Mountain Zen Motion Pictures, where she now has several projects in the works. Lanigan divides her time between Scottsdale and Los Angeles.