In retrospect it seems a natural progression, but Elaine Barbieri never expected she'd end up entertaining others by putting the stories and characters she had conjured up in her mind into the written word. She started her family young and didn't believe she'd ever have the time, or the patience, or even the desire to bring her natural storytelling ability full circle.

In her case, natural was the key word. It seemed natural to her that she should take up her love of reading again as soon as her children were old enough to allow her a few minutes of spare time. It seemed natural to her that she should become engrossed again in her former hobby. It seemed natural to her after a year of reading every historical romance she "could put her hands on," that she should decide she wanted to write one, too.

That first historical romance was rewritten three times - which she credits as an invaluable learning experience - before it was finally published. Now more than forty books later, a USA TODAY bestselling author and the recipient of many awards for her writing, she writes both contemporary and historical novels.

On the home front, Elaine lives in an area of northern New Jersey that abounds in a natural environment. Her husband and three children are her staunchest fans, and her grandchildren have volunteered her services to speak about writing on countless occasions at their schools. She is presently writing her next novel and looks forward to each new book with an excitement that never grows old.