In 1994, Joyce Thompson took a leave of absence from her literary career to work on high tech's cutting edge. How to Greet Strangers, her sixth novel, marks her return to her first love, fiction.She is the author of five previous novels, two collections of short stories and a memoir. Her work has been published in six languages and frequently optioned for film.The only child of two lawyers, Thompson grew up in Seattle, headed east to attend Cornell University, then worked for publishers in New York and Boston. She co-founded Dark Horse and hosted the poetry readings at Boston's first First Night celebration. On returning west, she taught fiction writing in MFA and university extension programs, at writing conferences and in the public schools for more than ten years. Her former students are among the best writers publishing today.She has been a Santera since 2002.Contact Joyce through her Facebook Author page: Joyce Thompson Writer.