I eloped with my husband, John, my freshman year in college, after I turned 18. He was 20 and a junior at a different university. It was quite a scandal. Thus began our grand adventure together. It has taken us from living in Indiana, to Los Angeles, New York City, Charleston, West Virginia, and ultimately to Chicago.

I write about women who face adversity with grace, humor and compassion and thus survive trauma stronger and wiser than ever. Women with multi-faceted personalities; women who embrace life with passion. I do.

When my children were young I sold stories to HOME LIFE, FATE, WABASH AND TRUE CONFESSIONS magazines. Fifteen novels followed for LYNX, HARLEQUIN and FAWCETT under the pen names Leslie Lynn and Lynn Leslie. I´m also a member of the Authors Guild, Romance Writers of America, Novelist Inc., Chicago North RWA, and Off Campus Writers.

Whenever I can, I travel − I never know where I´ll find a great story idea! So far this year I´ve been in South Africa, London, Vermont, Florida, California − and in the fall I´ll be on a cruise from Venice to Malta.

I want to do it all for as long as I can! I´m thrilled to now be writing under my own name for Grand Central Publishing. First book, still untitled, about Chicago´s most notorious gossip columnist, will be out in 2007. I´m laughing as I´m writing it − can't wait for you to read it!

www.sherrillbodine.com