Bio: Once upon a time there was a little girl who wanted to be a writer. Of course, Renee wanted to be a professional ice dancer, an Olympic gymnast, and a fashion model too. But once she learned she had no athletic aptitude and wasn't going to be six-foot tall and stick thin, her love for writing and books grew. She read anywhere and everywhere she could?including during class (especially math and science). Uh, not so good for school, but it encouraged her passion for books, opening her up to some of her favorite authors, including her all-time fave Jane Austen. But as her love for reading grew, so did her love for writing. She wrote short stories and poems, which were read out loud in class and even occasionally published. But for some reason, in her twenties she just stopped. Cold. Oh, she dreamed about it, of course, but her life seemed too busy. Then she moved from Upstate New York to Dallas, Texas, and met the man of her dreams. A true Southern gentleman, accent and all. He asked her out. She said no. Why? She was crazy, of course! Eventually, she gave him a chance (thank God!) and a year and a half later they eloped while on vacation in Colorado. She's been with him for ten years, and he's truly her hero. Her desire for writing returned, especially stories of love and personal journeys, and now she can't imagine doing anything else. Renee lives in Northern Colorado with her husband and a view of the Rocky Mountains out of her window. (How cool is that?) Renee has traveled all over the world, living in both Europe and Asia. She has also visited Amsterdam twice, the setting for her debut book, Going Topless. Her favorite place to travel to is Italy, and her dream is to own a vacation home there. Visit Renee at www.reneeknowles.com.