Katherine Scott Crawford was born and raised in the blue hills of the South Carolina Upcountry. A former journalist, backpacking guide and outdoor educator, she's a college English teacher and award-winning writer whose work has appeared in magazines, newspapers and literary journals. An avid hiker and admitted travel addict, Katherine has spent short (and long) stints writing, hiking and exploring in places like Alaska, Costa Rica, Italy, Panama and Scotland. Despite the siren call of her far-too-crisp passport, the American South remains her favorite home base. She lives in the mountains of Western North Carolina with her husband, young daughter, and trail partner: her 90 lb black labrador retriever, Scout. Katherine's debut historical novel, Keowee Valley, was published by Bell Bridge Books in September 2012. Inspired by the ancient mountains Katherine grew up playing in as a child, it's the saga of one woman's dreams, adventures and passions as she struggles to build a life for herself on the Appalachian frontier in the turbulent years leading to the American Revolution. A Quarter-Finalist in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award contest, Keowee Valley has been praised by bestselling author Adriana Trigiani as "a glorious debut from a gifted author." You can learn more about Katherine and her writing at www.katherinescottcrawford.com.