Luanne Rice is the New York Times bestselling American author of 31 novels that have been translated into 24 languages. She often writes about nature and the sea, and many of her novels deal with love and family. She is the author of The Lemon Orchard, Little Night, The Silver Boat and Beach Girls. Born in New Britain, Connecticut, Rice's first published poem appeared in the Hartford Courant when she was eleven, and her first short story was published in American Girl when she was fifteen. Her debut novel, Angels All Over Town, was published in 1985. In 2002, Connecticut College awarded Rice an honorary degree and invited her to donate her papers to the college's Special Collections Library. She has also received an honorary doctorate of humane letters from St. Joseph College in West Hartford, Conn. In June 2014, she received the 2014 Connecticut Governor?s Arts Award in the Literary Arts category for excellence and lifetime achievement as a literary artist. Rice is an avid environmentalist and advocate for families affected by domestic violence. 

September 25th, 1955 in New York City (Age 69)