Mary F. Burns is the author of several books of historical fiction: EMBER DAYS (2016) ISAAC AND ISHMAEL (2014) J-THE WOMAN WHO WROTE THE BIBLE (2010) THE SPOILS OF AVALON (2014) PORTRAITS OF AN ARTIST (2013) The last two books above feature the celebrated portrait painter, John Singer Sargent and his best friend, writer Violet Paget (aka Vernon Lee). Mary is a member of and book reviewer for the Historical Novel Society and a former member of the HNS Conference board of directors. She has been a regular panelist and speaker at the North American Historical Novel Society Conference. Ms. Burns was born in Chicago, Illinois and attended Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, where she earned both Bachelors and Masters degrees in English; she also holds a J.D. from Golden Gate University. She relocated to San Francisco in 1976 where she now lives with her husband Stuart in the West Portal neighborhood. Ms. Burns may be contacted by email at maryfburns@att.net. For more information please visit Mary Burns's website at www.maryfburns.com. You can also connect with Mary on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads, or read her blog posts at: www.maryfburns.wix.com/emberdays www.jthewomanwhowrotethebible.com www.literarygracenotes.blogspot.com www.portraitsofanartist.blogspot.com www.sargent-pagetmysteries.blogspot.com www.genesisnovel.blogspot.com