Monika Savic, the daughter of Dutch immigrants, was born in Los Angeles, California and was raised in Southern California. She grew up with two languages, listening to her parents tell their stories about their childhood in the Netherlands. After graduating from university, Monika taught English as a Second Language as well as composition and literature for many years, but she knew that she would one day try to write a book inspired by her parents. She began writing The Nightingale Sings Alone in June, 2005, soon after the sixty-first anniversary of D-Day and the sixtieth anniversary of VE-Day as this book is also meant as a heartfelt tribute to those who served with such courage. In the summer of 2020, Monika was finally able to set aside the time she needed to complete her book. Monika is married; she and her husband have three children, each of whom is making the world a better place. The Nightingale Sings Alone is her first novel.