[close] Luanne Rice is the New York Times bestselling author who has inspired the devotion of readers everywhere with her moving novels of love and family. She has been hailed by critics for her unique gifts, which have been described as "a beautiful blend of love and humor, with a little bit of magic thrown in,"* and "a rare combination of realism and romance."**

Rice began her writing career in 1985 with her debut novel ANGELS ALL OVER TOWN. Since then, she has written more than twenty-one novels, including such bestsellers as WHAT MATTERS MOST, THE EDGE OF WINTER, SANDCASTLES, SUMMER OF ROSES, SUMMER'S CHILD, SILVER BELLS, BEACH GIRLS, DANCE WITH ME, THE PERFECT SUMMER, THE SECRET HOUR, TRUE BLUE, SAFE HARBOR, and LIGHT OF THE MOON. A number of Rice's novels have been adapted for television, including CRAZY IN LOVE for TNT, BLUE MOON for CBS, the Hallmark Hall of Fame presentations of FOLLOW THE STARS HOME and SILVER BELLS, and BEACH GIRLS as a summer drama series for LIFETIME Television.

Rice was born in New Britain, Connecticut, where her father sold typewriters and her mother, a writer and artist, taught English. Throughout her childhood, Rice spent winters in New Britain and summers by the Long Island Sound in Old Lyme, where her mother would hold writing workshops for the children. Rice's talent emerged at a very young age, as she published her first poem in the Hartford Courant at the age of 11. Her first short story was published in American Girl Magazine when she was 15.

Rice later attended Connecticut College, but dropped out when her father became very ill. At this point, she knew she wanted to be a writer. Instead of returning to college, Rice took on many odd jobs, including working as a cook and maid for an exalted Rhode Island family, as well as fishing on a scallop boat during winter storms. These life experiences not only cultivated the author's love and talent for writing, but shaped the common backdrops in her novels of family and relationships on the Eastern seaboard.

Rice resides in New York City and on the Connecticut shoreline, in the house where she spent her childhood summers. [close]