Betty Lee Duran
Born(1939-03-10)March 10, 1939
Newton County, Missouri, US
DiedSeptember 11, 2022(2022-09-11) (aged 83)
Neosho, Missouri, US
Pen nameRuth Jean Dale,
Lee Duran
OccupationNewspaper reporter, novelist
NationalityAmerican
Period1988–2022
GenreRomance Mystery Humor
SpouseRoy Gilbert Duran
Children4

Betty Lee Duran (March 10, 1939 – September 11, 2022) was an American writer of romance novels. She started writing as Ruth Jean Dale, and now then wrote as Lee Duran.

Ruth Jean Dale's books have been translated into many foreign languages, including French, Spanish, German, Polish, Greek, Italian, Russian and Chinese. She has made frequent appearances on romance best seller lists, and was nominated a "Top Ten Favorite Author" by Affaire de Coeur magazine.

Duran retired temporarily in 2000 after her husband suffered a stroke. After his death in 2008, she returned to writing under her own name: Lee Duran.

Duran died on September 11, 2022.[1]

Biography

Betty Lee Duran was born in the Ozark Mountains, Missouri. She traveled throughout the U.S. during her childhood. She studied Journalism in her native Missouri. She served in the U.S. Navy, and married a U.S. Marine in 1960. She worked as a newspaper reporter in California, with her husband. In 1984, she suffered a brain aneurysm, followed by three brain surgeries.[2]

Duran sold her first novel as Ruth Jean Dale on July 8, 1988. She also collaborated with her friend, the writer Margaret Brownley. They sold a two-year story projection to the CBS soap, As The World Turns. Duran retired temporarily in 2000 after her husband suffered a stroke. Following his death in 2008, she returned to writing under her own name: Lee Duran. [citation needed]

Bibliography

As Ruth Jean Dale

[3]

Stand alone novels

The Taggarts of Texas! Saga

  1. Legend! (1993)
  2. Fireworks! (1992)
  3. The Red-Blooded Yankee! (1992)
  4. Showdown! (1993)
  5. Hitched! (2000)

The Camerons of Colorado Saga

  1. Kids, Critters and Cupid (1996)
  2. The Cupid Conspiracy (1996)
  3. The Cupid Chronicles (1996)
  4. Cupid's Revenge (1998)

Runaway Wedding Series

  1. Runaway Wedding (1996)
  2. A Simple Texas Wedding (1996)
  3. Runaway Honeymoon (1996)

Gone to Texas! Series

  1. The Wrangler's Woman (2000)
  2. Almost a Cowboy (2000)
  3. The Cowgirl's Man (2000)

Rebels & Rogues Series Multi-Author

Back To The Ranch Series Multi-Author

Matchmaking Moms Series Multi-Author

Simply the Best Series Multi-Author

Whirlwind Weddings Series Multi-Author

Hero for Hire Series Multi-Author

Texas Grooms Wanted! Series Multi-Author

The Lyon Legacy Series Multi-Author

Bachelor Auction Series Multi-Author

A Walk Down the Aisle: Wedding Celebration Series Multi-Author

Collections

Omnibus in collaboration

As Lee Duran

[4]

Single novels in collaboration

Single novels

References and sources

  1. ^ https://www.clarkfuneralhomes.com/obituary/betty-duran
  2. ^ Ruth Jean Dale in Harlequin, retrieved 2008-07-03
  3. ^ Ruth Jean Dale in FantacticFiction, retrieved 2008-07-03
  4. ^ Lee Duran in FantacticFiction, retrieved 2008-07-03