Kristin Hannah was born in September 1960 in Southern Californiaand grew up at the beach, making sand castles and playing in thesurf. When she was eight years old, her father drove the family toWestern Washington which they called home. After working in a trendy advertising agency, Kristin decided togo to law school. “But you’re going to be a writer” are theprophetic words she would never forget from her mother. Kristin wasin her third-and final-year of law school and her mom was in thehospital, facing the end of her long battle with cancer. Kristinwas shocked to discover that her mother believed she would become awriter. For the next few months, they collaborated on the worst,most clich?d historical romance ever written. After her mom’s death, she packed up all those bits and piecesof paper they’d collected and put them in a box in the back of hercloset. Kristin got married and continued practicing law.