Mary Barmeyer O'Brien was born and raised in Missoula, Montana and earned a B.A. in sociology from Linfield College (now Linfield University) in McMinnville, Oregon. She is the author of several books, both fiction and nonfiction, about women's history and pioneers on the overland trails, including Heart of the Trail: Stories of Covered Wagon Women and The Promise of the West: Young Pioneers on the Overland Trails. Mary writes from her home in the mountains of western Montana, where she and her husband, Dan, enjoy hiking, birdwatching, reading, and exploring.