Susan Leigh Furlong, MA, is a historical romance writer and retired educator with nearly four decades of excellence in elementary education and a lifetime of dedication to literature. A creative and headstrong child, Ms. Furlong wanted to become a teacher for as long as she could remember. Her family moved across the country several times during her childhood, and she settled in Ohio to attend college at Wittenberg University. After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in teaching and elementary education in 1969, she continued her studies at the University of Dayton, completing a Master of Arts in education specializing in instruction for gifted and talented students in 1977.
Ms. Furlong spent her teaching career at Broadway Elementary School with the Tipp City Schools. She taught both first grade and fourth grade until her retirement in 2000, and was presented with an Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award in 2003 by the Power of the Pen in recognition of her commitment to her students and discipline. In her retirement, she continues to tutor homeschooled students and maintains a passion for education that motivates her in all areas of life.
While Ms. Furlong has always enjoyed writing and has spent much of her life crafting fiction in many forms; she has focused exclusively on writing and publishing since her retirement from teaching. A longtime fan of historical romance, she began writing in the genre several years ago and is currently represented by The Wild Rose Press, who published her first two novels, “Steadfast Will I Be,” and “By Promise Made,” in 2019. In addition to being an avid writer, Ms. Furlong is an enthusiastic amateur historian with a passion for research and exploring archives. Her curiosity and love for Tipp City and Ohio history have led her to investigate the hidden stories and heroes of the region, resulting in two original histories of the area, “Tippecanoe to Tipp City: The First 100 Years” and “Legendary Locals of Tipp City,” and two plays based on her findings, “Tippecanoe: Our Story” and “Tippecanoe: Our Lives.” Her books are available for purchase digitally from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and in hard copy directly from Arcadia Press.
Ms. Furlong attributes her success to her personality, her versatility, and the personal values that she learned from her father while growing up. She explains that “she has always known what she wanted and how she was going to get it,” a clarity and tenacity that has helped her navigate the often-challenging world of publishing. In her leisure time, she is active in her local historical society as well as the LightReaders, a music and drama ministry where she writes and directs faith-based plays and skits. Ms. Furlong enjoys time spent with her family and rescue cats, and looks forward to writing and publishing more in the coming years.