Emily Arsenault is an American bestselling author, known for her thrilling mystery novels. She was born in Shelburne Falls and went to Mount Holyoke College where she studied religion and philosophy. After college, Arsenault worked in the editorial department at Merriam Webster for several years, which inspired her to write her debut novel, "The Broken Teaglass." She enjoyed her time at Merriam Webster, but wanted to do something more exciting and interactive, which led her to teach adult literacy for two years.
Arsenault's life has been full of unique experiences that have influenced her writing. For instance, as a young child, she was Connecticut's "Miss Prevent Blindness," appearing on pamphlets and television to encourage parents to get their children's eyes checked. She also wrote her first novel in fifth grade, which took her the entire school year to complete. At age thirteen, she finally got to attend a real sleepaway camp, which was quite different from the one she had written about in her novel.
In addition to her love for writing, Arsenault has a passion for philosophy. She studied it in college, and her husband did as well. They met in a Hegel class, which she describes as "awfully romantic." Arsenault has also worked as a lexicographer, an English teacher, and a Peace Corps volunteer in rural South Africa. Currently, she resides in Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts, with her husband, where she is working on her third novel, tentatively titled "Just Someone I Used to Know." The novel is named after an old song by Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton.