Tilly Armstrong (1927–2010)

Tilly Armstrong was born on 8th April 1927 in Sutton, Surrey, England, UK. She was a born storyteller and used to tell made-up stories to her siblings at bedtime. She loved writing and was always trying to find enough time for this while pursuing an interesting career. She worked for a time with the World Health Organisation in Geneva, then in Canada for eighteen months and afterwards, back home, she became the Personal Secretary to the Chairman of British Steel, Lord Melchett. Writing success did not come easily, with many early disappointments, but she was very determined and kept on trying.

Tilly published her romance novels from 1978 to 1998, as Tilly Armstrong and under the pseudonyms of Tania Langley and Kate Alexander, her novels set in World War II were especially popular. Apart from over twenty novels she had published also short stories.

Tilly was the fourteenth elected Chairman (1987-1989) of the Romantic Novelists' Association, and was one of its Vice-Presidents until her death. She negotiated the first commercial sponsorship for the RNA Novel of the Year award, from Boots. She was also President of Sutton Writers.

Retired from professional writing, Tilly took a keen interest in floral art. At 83, she passed away on 6th July 2010 at Carshalton, England, UK.