author : Merrie DestefanoMerrie Destefano left a 9-to-5 desk job as a magazine editor to become a full-time novelist and freelance editor. With twenty years' experience in publishing, her background includes editor of Victorian Homes magazine and founding editor of Cottages \u0026amp; Bungalows magazine. She lives in Southern California with her husband, their two German shepherds, and a Siamese cat.