Curtiss Ann Matlock is a prolific author, having written 40 novels with over 7 million copies in print worldwide. She was born in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, and comes from a long line of avid readers. Matlock's love for reading began at a young age, and she started writing her own stories while still in elementary school. She pursued her passion for writing in her early thirties, when she sold two articles and began studying professional writing at the University of Oklahoma. It was there that she sold her first novel, a romance, to Harlequin Books.
Matlock's writing is known for its strong Southern voice, and her stories often explore the uncommon valor of everyday people and the humor, heartbreak, and shining graces of small-town life. In 1999, she published "Lost Highways" with Mira Books, which was nominated for a RITA Award in women's fiction and began her beloved series about the lives of the characters in fictional Valentine, Oklahoma. The series has since grown to include six books, with the most recent one, "Chin Up, Honey," released in 2009.
Matlock has received numerous awards for her writing, including two National Readers' Choice Awards and three nominations for the Romance Writers of America's prestigious RITA® Award. She has also placed on the USA TODAY best seller lists. Matlock's novels are known for their heartwarming stories that explore the human comedy and uncommon valor of everyday people striving to deal with heartbreak, to live with faith, and to love well.
Matlock currently resides in rural south Alabama with her family and assorted pets. She continues to write, garden, and RV, and she loves hearing from her readers. Matlock has stated that her aim in writing her books is to pass on the same refuge, pleasure, and encouragement that she has received from fiction throughout her life. She hopes that her readers feel more hopeful about themselves and their lives upon reaching the last page of one of her novels.