Karen Kirst is a native East Tennessean and lives near the Great Smoky Mountains. A lifelong lover of books, it wasn’t until after college that she had the grand idea to write one herself. The pursuit of her dream would take longer than she first anticipated…years, in fact. In the fall of 2010, she got the happy news that Harlequin Love Inspired Historical wanted to publish her manuscript-a true blessing from God. Now she writes faith-based romantic suspense. When she’s not homeschooling her sons or taking care of her mischievous poodles, she’s spending time with friends and wondering if she should open her own tea room.