Hi! My name is Penelope Douglas, and I write romance. New adult, erotica, a little contemporary... Really whatever is calling me at the moment. I believe a good writer can spin any story in a way with which you'll connect, and I endeavor to do just that with every book I write. Not many topics are too taboo for me. I love breaking rules, and I love taking myself out of my comfort zone.

Why is that, you ask?

Well, there is a reason for everything.

I could tell you where I was born, how many siblings I have, or which hobbies I enjoy, but none of that really tells you about someone's life. Experiences do.

As an adolescent, I was quiet, shy, and afraid. No mistakes could be made, because people would hate me or I'd be alone. So rather than run, I walked. Rather than climb, I kept my feet on the ground. And rather than say "yes," I always said "no." And as a result, I didn't live.

And I still felt disposable, fearful, and alone.

What would they say about me when I was gone? Would I have regrets? Every day that I didn't blaze a trail swallowed me up.

So I decided I wouldn't be invisible or waste another second. I left home, went to college, and traveled. I took trains from Atsugi to Tokyo all by myself. I jumped Hiji Falls when others joked I wouldn't do it. (I did it twice.) I climbed Mt. Fuji, and I moved to New Orleans for graduate school without knowing a single person in the city. I did what I dreamed, and I was a lot happier.

I don't worry so much anymore, and I don't let others' opinions hold me back.

Be yourself, and OWN it. You know what that means? Be loud and proud. Nurture who you are and good things will come. Most importantly, your happiness.