About Shana

Who is Shana Galen?
Shana Galen began writing love stories at the age of seven. Her first short story featured Han Solo and Princess Leia. Although she didn’t start reading romance novels until college, she was always drawn to happy ever afters. As a lover of history and a certified Anglophile, penning historical romances seemed the perfect combination.

Shana lives in Houston where she has written over fifty books with settings ranging from the French Revolution to the Regency to the Victoria era. She’s also tried her hand at chick lit novels and romantasy. Her books have been translated into ten languages and featured in numerous publications. Publishers Weekly calls her writing a “lighthearted, fast-paced cloak and dagger romp [that] will amuse even the most discerning Regency reader.”

A former middle and high school English teacher, Shana currently writes full-time. Animal advocacy is close to her heart, and she spends her days surrounded by four rescued cats and one spoiled rescue dog.

Why did you become a writer? Why do you write romance?
For me, writing wasn’t so much a choice as it was a compunction. For as long as I can remember I’ve been a storyteller. Just ask my little sister how often I kept her up at night, telling her stories into the wee hours. Of course, she loved them and was only pretending to be asleep!

When I was old enough, I started writing my stories. When I became an English teacher, it dawned on me one day that writing books was actually a career I could pursue. That’s when I started studying writing books and studying the craft of storytelling.

Why did I decide to write romance? I was always drawn to romantic stories. I loved reading books with romantic elements, and it seemed everything I wrote had a romance in it. I love writing about relationships.

Where do you get your ideas?
I don’t always know where my ideas come from. I’m not claiming the existence of a personal Muse, but I find if I need an idea for a new book, I allow my unconscious mind to work on the problem while I do other things and eventually enough of an idea will form that I can work out a plot and characters. Some of my books are inspired by popular culture—movies, classic novels, historical events—but other ideas just come to me when I need them.

If you weren’t an author, what would you be?
I might go back to teaching since I love teaching literature and writing. I might also go back to working in animal rescue. I worked with a companion animal rescue group for several years, and it was very difficult and also rewarding.

What’s next for you?
You can find out what I’m up to by checking back here, subscribing to my newsletter, or following me on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube.