Welcome to my website! I write stories about individuals  in past eras relevant to today who face challenges to their integrity, to their romantic relationships, to their sense of self: challenges that affect many people of their times. My heroes face these issues head on and try to resolve them. The issues I write about are high-stakes ones, such as the fall of Rome and the building of the Transcontinental Railroad. In seeking their destinies and searching for their homes and soulmates, my characters face down their adversaries and unravel some of the most intriguing mysteries in history.

    

     My stories have passion and intimacy, like the romance novels of Nicholas Sparks, and epic sweep, like the historical novels of Philippa Gregory and John Jakes.

    

     My historical romance Escape from the Empire is in an advanced pre-publication stage. Its first chapters won second place in the Romance category in the 2009 Southwest Writers Workshop international writing contest, judged by literary agents and editors. 

 

What Other Published Writers are Saying

     A top New York Times best-selling novelist writes: "You have quite a knack for making the era come to life with historical detail and sound and voice. Your research is wonderful." 

     A distinguished non-fiction author and Emmy-winning script writer says: "Well written -- the historical details are interesting -- I really got into it. You are a good writer." 

 

Knowing some of Richard Leon Linfield's background 

and having a taste of his life 

will help you see what makes him

such  a fascinating writer -

      

     Drawing on his varied experiences, Richard Leon Linfield writes compelling stories of Historical Romance, Romantic Suspense and Mystery.  

•  A chapter of The Lost Movie, his romantic mystery, won second place in a New Zealand mystery novel contest
•  A published poet, his works have appeared in TriQuarterly, St. Mark's Place Poetry Project, Carp, Southwest Poets Annual and others
•  Grew up playing drums in rock, country, jazz and blues bands in south Texas and Louisiana with artists like Johnny and Edgar Winter and Mickey Gilley, and later in India with such World Fusion artists as Deuter and Govi
• Spent five years traveling and studying religion and meditation in India
• An interfaith minister
• College students consistently give him high marks for his creative teaching of fiction writing, philosophy, history, world religions, public relations and  film studies
• Co-founded the innovative, student-centered New College of California in San Francisco
• Founded DNA Theater in San Francisco, writing, producing and directing plays of drama and improvisational comedy
• Edited textbooks on social change and literature for Prentice Hall and The Free Press
• His journalism has appeared in the Oregonian, the Boulder Daily Camera, the Maui News and the Albuquerque Journal
• Created, edited and published New Colorado magazine   
• Directed public relations for arts organizations and nonprofits
• A member of the Mystery Writers of America and the Southwest Writers Workshop

 

Richard Leon Linfield draws on this vast and varied life experience

and his creative imagination to bring you fiction

that entertains, is socially perceptive, evocative and romantic

with intelligent, off-beat characters.

Enjoy!

 

 

Overview of Escape from the Empire

          How can a man and a woman find freedom to be together when they are from conflicting cultures and religions, both of which violently oppose their love and their lifestyles?  Linfield's Escape from the Empire draws imaginative parallels between contemporary society and the age when Rome fell and Christianity rapidly grew. Men and women alike will find this an entertaining read which explores commitment, relationship and passion from both sides of the gender divide.

          The mystery of Hebrew kingdoms in ancient Africa has fascinated students for generations. Linfield writes: "I wondered how a Hebrew woman in ancient times would respond to hearing stories about a faraway, unheard-of Israelite and partly Christian nation, ruled by a queen. Then I wondered what a Roman aristocrat would make of a great domain in Africa based on the two religions the Roman Empire was persecuting. When I introduced the Hebrew woman and the Roman to each other, they promptly fell in love and fled to Africa. What an embarrassment to their families!"   

 

                           

 

       This website also features essays by Linfield with some of the fruits of his research. They are in the section entitled "What Intrigues Me."

     One article shows how medical contraception was widely practiced by women in ancient times.

     Another article is titled "Monotheism: The Greatest Concept."

     You may appreciate the varied remarks from readers of Leon's writing. Click on "Reader Comments."

       Everyone is warmly welcome to send comments or questions on what you read here.

     If you would like to be notified when Escape from the Empire and other Linfield novels become available, please register. Just click on the "Contact Us" button.

                                 Thanks for reading.