[close] Kristen learned to read at age four in the sit-on-the-floor school her father taught at home. That was the start of her love affair with stories. Skipping kindergarten, she went to first grade at five and dove into learning with a passion. In elementary school, she wrote and illustrated her own miniature books and the highlight of the week was the mile and a half walk to the book mobile.

A bit of a tomboy, she and her brother played numerous make believe games of cowboys and Indians. She played the Indian because the toy bow really shot arrows (a distinct advantage over caps.) Other early interests were catching frogs and exploring, playing baseball and football, and any form of art she could put her hand to. She studied violin from age seven to seventeen, taught herself piano, guitar, recorder and tambourine.

Of her three main interests, art, music and writing, she chose to study English at the University of Colorado and thrived on Creative Writing and Literature classes. She married her husband Jim, and turned her energy to building a family. They have four children whom they have home schooled for all or most of their education. Kristen is a music minister with the ecumenical covenant community People of Praise.

Once she realized the stories in her head were truly a calling from the Lord, she made writing not just a passion, but a ministry. She has written seven historical fiction novels as part of the The Rocky Mountain Legacy series and the Diamond of the Rockies series. Most recently, she has written seven contemporary fiction novels: Twilight, A Rush of Wings, The Still of Night, Halos, Secrets, Unforgotten, and Freefall.

Writing is not only a passion for Kristen, it is a commission, her way of sharing the themes of grace and forgiveness and dependence on Christ. She believes God gave her a voice, and she joyfully uses the talent for His glory. [close]