Fran Dorf was born in a Philadelphia suburb in 1953. As a teenager, she read constantly, particularly science fiction, and wrote poetry and stories; she began working on a novel at age sixteen. She also sketched and painted, and studied piano for many years. After graduating from Boston University’s School of Public Communication in 1975, she worked variously as a waitress, secretary, exercise instructor, publisher for a small startup newspaper, nursing home attendant, public relations executive, advertising writer, therapist, and fund-raiser.

While Dorf has never studied creative writing in a formal setting, she believes her eclectic and voracious reading habits have helped her tremendously in her writing as has her powerful fascination with psychology. Indeed in 1985 she received a master’s degree in psychology from New York University. Five years later she published her first novel, A Reasonable Madness, a psychological thriller about a psychiatrist and one of his patients. A second novel, Flight, followed in 1992. Both were Literary Guild selections and received critical acclaim in the United States, Germany, and elsewhere.

Although these novels explore human passions and combine elements of mystery with magical or supernatural touches, they are primarily thrillers. Saving Elijah is a departure. The tragic death of her son has had a "profound effect" on her life, she says. She hopes it has had a profound, transforming, and deepening effect on her work as well.

Fran Dorf lives near New York City with her husband. They have a daughter in college.

Visit Fran Dorf, or read an excerpt from Saving Elijah, at http://www.frandorf.com

Books by Fran Dorf

Saving Elijah

by Fran Dorf