Cheryl Gardarian grew up in Huntington Beach, California. Her love of writing started early and led to several of her poems being published in the National High School Poetry Anthology. However, her parents stressed the need to graduate from college with a ‘practical’ degree. She received a Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene at the University of Southern California and began working in the field of dentistry. A few years later she obtained her Real Estate Broker License and opened her own real estate office. She and her husband, Leo, moved to a small ranch near San Juan Capistrano. For many years she was busy raising their son, Brian, who was active in sports and 4H, and caring for their horses and other barnyard animals. Now, many years later, she is finally able to return to her creative side.