Wendy French, author of sMothering, was raised in Vancouver, Canada, where her parents unwittingly cursed her writing career by providing a happy and stable childhood. In an effort to overcome her unfortunate beginnings, she sought artistic torment at the University of Victoria, but despair eluded her. Although she earned a B.A. in Writing and English in 1994, she didn't suffer for a moment. Hoping for worse luck, she moved to Portland, Oregon, with her husband, but happiness continued to stalk her, day and night. Finally, she conceded defeat, abandoned her quest for misery, and began writing humorous women's fiction. Going Coastal is her second novel.