Betty Neels

Evelyn Jessy Neels Meijer
Born Evelyn Jessy Neels
15 September 1909
Devon, England, United Kingdom
Died 7 June 2001 (aged 91)
England, United Kingdom
Pen name Betty Neels
Occupation Novelist
Language English
Nationality British
Period 1969-2001
Genre Romance novel
Spouse Johannes Meijer
Children 1

Betty Neels (born 15 September 1909 in Leyton, England - d. 7 June 2001 in England) was a prolific British writer of over 134 romance novels (first publication entirely for Mills & Boon in United Kingdom and later reprinted in the North America by Harlequin), beginning in 1969 and continuing until her death. Her work is known for being particularly chaste.

Biography

Personal life

Evelyn Jessy "Betty" Neels was born on 15 September 1909 in Leyton[1] (then part of Essex but now in Greater London) to a family with firm roots in the Civil Service. She spent her childhood and youth in Devonshire. She was sent away to boarding school, and then went on to train as a nurse, gaining her SRN and SCM, that is, State Registered Nurse and State Certificate of Midwifery.[2][3]

In 1939 she was called up to the Territorial Army Nursing Service (TANS), which later became the Queen Alexandra Reserves, and was sent to France with the Casualty Clearing Station, until the invasion of France in 1940. She was commissioned into the TANS as a Sister on 30 May 1941. Later she worked in Scotland and Northern Ireland, where she met a Dutchman, named Johannes Meijer. They married in 1942 and had a daughter Caroline, born 1945.[2][3][4]

The married couple lived in London, and later they moved to the Netherlands for thirteen years, where she resumed her nursing career. When the family return to England, she continued her nursing. When she eventually retired, she had reached the position of Night Superintendent.[2]

Her hobbies were reading, animals, old buildings and, of course, writing. Her writing career began almost by accident. It began when she heard a woman in her local library bemoaning the lack of good romance novels. Though she had retired from nursing, her mind had no intention of vegetating. So she got a typewriter and developed what was to become a fantastic loving relationship with her millions of readers around the world.[2]

Betty Neels died peacefully in hospital on 7 June 2001, aged 91.[2]

Writing career

Her first book, Sister Peters in Amsterdam, was published in 1969.[2] Her career with Mills & Boon or Harlequin spanned 30 years, and she continued to write into her 90th year. She wrote 134 novels.

Her novels have several recurring themes. The main male and female characters are often brought together by circumstances before love flourishes. The male protagonist is often a Dutch surgeon. The heroine is usually either a Cinderella or a "splendidly built" queen-sized lady. A character will often have an expertise in antiques. Family pets are common.

Bibliography

Single Novels

The Final Touch Series

  1. The Final Touch (1991)
  2. A Happy Meeting (1992)

Dr Fforde Series

  1. Always and Forever (2000)
  2. The Doctor's Girl (2001)

First Class Series Multi-Author

Kids & Kisses Multi-Author

Family Ties Multi-Author

Sealed with a Kiss Multi-Author

Holding Out for a Hero Multi-Author

Baby Boon Multi-Author

White Weddings Multi-Author

White Wedding Multi-Author

Collections

Omnibus in Collaboration

References and sources

  1. ↑ Certified copy of an entry of birth for Evelyn Jessy Neels (General Register Office for England and Wales)
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Mills & Boon's Biography, retrieved 2007-08-31
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Birth, Marriage & Death registrations, retrieved 2011-01-30
  4. ↑ London Gazette, retrieved 2011-01-30

External links