The author is one of five sisters born and raised in California. They all attended UCLA, where she majored in Mathematics. In graduate school she studied French, and has been teaching for a quarter...view moreThe author is one of five sisters born and raised in California. They all attended UCLA, where she majored in Mathematics. In graduate school she studied French, and has been teaching for a quarter of a century. She has been a writer for that long. She taught in the writing program at Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia, and in the great books program at Shimer College in Illinois. She has traveled widely, learning many languages, and studying the traditions of many different cultures, particularly those of medieval Europe. She is especially interested in the archaeology, folklore, and mythology of bears.view less