A professional writer for over 25 years, Lynda has petted baby rhinos, snorkeled with endangered sea turtles, and dodged hurricanes to write articles for national and international publications, her travel photographs often appearing with her work. She's also crafted book-length nonfiction for famous organizations such as Habitat for Humanity and the San Diego Zoo.
She holds an MFA in creative writing, a BA and MA in American literature, and has won many awards and residencies. Her debut novel Faith Bass Darling's Last Garage Sale won the 2013 Writers League of Texas Novel of the Year and was adapted into a major French film starring Catherine Deneuve.
Her latest bestselling novel, West with Giraffes, was inspired by a forgotten true story she discovered about a hurricane-surviving pair of giraffes who were trucked cross-country in little more than a tricked-out truck during the Great Depression turning heads, capturing hearts, and making 500+ headlines along the way. The travel writer in her was enraptured; the creative writer was inspired. The discovery and experience is described in the novel's Author's Note. Currently, she lives with her husband and resident dog outside Austin, Texas.
