As a child, Kristina Cook took her nose out of a book only long enough to take a ballet class (or five) each week. Not much has changed since then, except she’s added motherhood to the mix and now enjoys penning her own novels as much as reading everybody else’s. Before turning her hand to historical romance, Kristina did graduate work at Columbia University and wrote grant proposals for some of New York City's top cultural institutions. After the birth of her second child, she decided to finally write that novel she'd always wanted to write. The rest, as they say, is history. Kristina lives in New York City with her husband and two daughters.

Well, that's the 'official' bio. Here's some slightly more interesting but totally useless tidbits about me!

• I'm a member of MENSA, the high-IQ society. Never been to a meeting, but I carry the card around just in case someone demands proof that I'm not *really* a dumb blonde.

• I'm a huge NASCAR fan! My dad is a racer and has been my entire life--sports cars, now vintage--and I spent *way* more time at the track than I'll ever admit to, hanging about and working timing & scoring. Now, I never miss a NASCAR race if I can help it, and I'm constantly watching the SPEED channel. I mostly root for the #20 Home Depot car--that would be Tony Stewart--but I also like Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth, Denny Hamlin, and Elliot Sadler, among others!

• I also write YA (young adult) fiction under the name Kristi Cook, and Edwardian-set historical romance as Kristi Astor.

• Favorite color: lavender

• Favorite food: king crab shumai at my favorite sushi restaurant, Haru.

• Husband proposed to me: on the 'Chunnel' train that runs between Paris and London--somewhere around Calais.

• Favorite TV shows: The Office, LOST, and Dancing with the Stars. My pick for this season's DWTS champion? Kristi Yamaguchi!

• Majored in college: History. Well, I graduated with a degree in history and a minor in English, but I changed my major a zillion times. Majors included: Radio/TV/Film, Biology/Pre-med, Criminal Justice, History. Suffice it to say, I enjoyed too many subjects and wasn't sure what I wanted to be 'when I grew up.' In graduate school, I studied American History.

• Places I've worked: Women's Wear Daily, The New York Botanical Garden, the American Museum of Natural History, American Ballet Theatre. Oh, and I was a preschool teacher one year, while in grad school. For fun.

• Biggest life-changing event (other than having kids!): I had brain surgery in 1996 to remove a non-cancerous tumor. Pretty scary stuff. The surgery itself lasted over eight hours, and I was in the hospital for eight days. Afterwards, I suffered from Bell's palsy (facial paralysis) on one side of my face for about six (really long!) weeks. Couldn't even blink my eye. The entire ordeal really made me take a look at my life and readjust my goals. Now, if there's something I really want to accomplish, I try to.

• Strangest almost-career move: In early 1996, I applied to and got accepted into the FBI's SSG (special surveillance group) unit. I would have begun training in Quantico during the summer of 1996, but everything got derailed when I had to have surgery instead (see above!). Looking back, that whole application process seems very surreal. I think I'm better off being a romance novelist, instead.

• My father was a federal agent (and also a Lt. Colonel in the Air Force Reserves), and we moved A LOT during my childhood/teenage years, so I don't really have a 'home town' (though I often claim Atlanta, since I lived there for a larger chunk of time than anywhere else). Among the places I've called home: Orlando, FL; Lawrenceville, GA; Slidell, LA; Ft. Walton Beach, FL; Dade City, FL; Northport, AL; Ridge Manor, FL; Brandon, FL; Myrtle Beach, SC; Montgomery, AL; Hattiesburg, MS; Brandon, FL, Longwood, FL, Gainesville, FL; Kennesaw, GA; Baton Rouge, LA; Warner Robins, GA (I was born on Robins A.F.B). I'm sure I'm missing some!