I was born in Oklahoma City and grew up in Overland Park and Olathe, Kansas. I've lived in Austin for ...well, never mind how long. We non-natives say things like, "I wasn't born in Texas, but I got here as quick as I could." Then we snort.Seriously, I grew up in a semi-rural suburb of Kansas City, which means that a massive mall was less than twenty minutes away but I could have a horse. My brother had a chicken. Both of us agree his was the better pet, but that's another story.I attended the University of Kansas at Lawrence, where I graduated with honors in English. Soon after, I moved to Austin with its thriving software community and managed to obtain semi-respectable employment as a technical writer.As time passed, I found myself thinking that it was time to dust off the dreams I'd had back in Kansas. I joined the Writers' League of Texas, bought a laptop, and stared at the blank screen in between endless rounds of FreeCell (at which I'm now exceptionally proficient). Then I had the opportunity to take a tour of Egypt, and I was dazzled. By the time I got back, I had a plot, I had characters, and I couldn't wait to get started.DEATH ON TOUR was published after winning the Mystery Writers of America/Minotaur Books First Crime Novel award and was a nominee for both the 2012 Mary Higgins Clark award and RT Reviewers' Choice First Crime Novel award. DEATH MAKES THE CUT finds Jocelyn back home to her teaching job in Austin, Texas, and in DEATH RIDES AGAIN, Jocelyn and her cousin Kyla travel to their family's Texas ranch only to find that a cousin is missing, another has been shot, and opening day at the new racetrack is off to a murderous start.