Ann B. Ross is an American novelist, well-known for her cozy mystery novels featuring the Miss Julia character. She has a deep appreciation for literature, citing Geoffrey Chaucer, Harper Lee, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Margaret Mitchell as her favorite writers. Ross resides in Hendersonville, North Carolina, which also serves as the home town of her beloved character, Miss Julia.
After raising her three children, Ross decided to further her education. She enrolled at the University of North Carolina at Asheville, where she earned a degree in literature. Following this, she pursued advanced degrees at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill English Department, eventually earning both her masters and doctor of philosophy degrees. After completing her education, Ross returned to the University of North Carolina at Asheville, where she taught literature and humanities.
Ross is a mother of two daughters and one son, and a grandmother of six - four grandsons and two granddaughters, both of whom share her name. Her writing career began in the early 1980s with the publication of two mysteries, "The Murder Cure" and "The Murder Stroke," and an adventure story set in the nineteenth century, "The Pilgrimage." However, these early works are now out of print. It was the publication of "Miss Julia Speaks Her Mind" in 1999 that set Ross on her current path as a full-time writer. This book was a success, with six reprintings in less than a year, and was named to the Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers list. The series has since been translated into several languages and published in various formats, including audiobooks and large-print editions. The Miss Julia books have also appeared on the New York Times Extended Bestseller List.
Ross finds inspiration for Miss Julia's adventures in various ways, such as chance remarks, incidents she observes, dreams, or past experiences. She does not outline or make detailed plans before starting a story, instead relying on her characters to develop the plot as she writes. This organic approach allows for unexpected and delightful 'mini-scenes' that readers find appealing. Ross has stated that she knows a piece of writing is good when she finds herself laughing out loud, indicating the joy she finds in creating her beloved characters and their stories.