The author grew up in New England and moved to California as a teenager. With husband and children she has lived in many states in the US as well as elsewhere in the world. She has worked in various fields as the family relocated due to her husband's job. Her occupations included teaching, social work, and magazine writing and editing. The interest in pediatric cancer stems from volunteer work with Therapy Animals of Utah, where she and one of her dogs visited camp Hobé, a summer camp for children impacted by cancer. This led to the decision to donate the royalties from the book to pediatric cancer research and treatment. She is currently retired and living in Bend, Oregon, with her husband and two dogs. The Doll's Storybook originated as a weekly story blog for the author's grandchildren in June 2018. There is a new story every week. Royalties from the books go to a charity that supports pediatric cancer research and treatment.