Roberta Leigh (1926–2014)

Rita Shulman was born in 1927 in London, England, daugther of Jewishs from Russia. She developed a big interest in art. In 1948, she married Michael Lewin and they had a son, Jeremy. She began writing with her first published romance novel in 1950, and she continued published romance novels as Roberta Leigh, Rachel Lindsay, Roumelia Lane and Rozella Lake and as her maiden name Janey Scott. She was one of the first writers to introduce strong career-minded heroines who wouldn't be bossed around by the hero. She had her own film company and wrote and produced 7 TV series for children: Twizzle, Sarah & Hoppity, Torchy and Space Patrol etc. As well as writing the stories, Roberta Leigh also 'wrote' the music for her series, although this usually involved her humming or singing the tune into a tape recorder, after which someone else would arrange and write a score. She studied painting with Diana Raphael and Michael Chaitow, and they awakened her interest in abstract art. Her medium is oil, and watercolour in its various forms. This is done either on paper, or paper bonded on canvas or on board. Her work is deeply emotional, and during a painting session many paintings may be discarded before a state of transcendental calm is obtained. Only then does the true process of creation begin. Her first exhibition was held at the home of Robert Brenner, founder of the Institute of Safety Analysis, Washington DC and the commissions which followed delayed her next exhibition for two years. This was at the Podbury Gallery in London where she remained until the owner retired. She then went to Finnegans Gallery in Mayfair, and remained there until it closed due to Wendy Finnegan's ill health. She now works privately for clients in England, North America and Switzerland. But, romantic fiction has a special place in her life. She lives in London, loves children, dogs and cats and, since the death of her husband, finds her romance in the books.

Born Rita Shulman in London to Russian-Jewish immigrant parents, her obituary in The Times (2014-12-29) was in the name of Roberta Leigh.  She married Michael Lewin, the owner of a football pools company.  The obituary did not make her legal name clear, but Janey Scott was one of her several noms-de-plume.

Rita Shulman Lewin, was a British author and artist. She wrote romance fiction and children's stories as Roberta Leigh, Rachel Lindsay, Janey Scott, and Rozella Lake.