Allie Shaw

A native of Connecticut who came to the Midwest to attend Northwestern University, Allie Shaw now resides with her family in the western suburbs of Chicago. After graduating from Northwesterns School of Speech, Shaw began the first of three careers: a theater executive, professional fundraiser, and at-home mom. Ms. Shaw began writing in 1996 on a dare from a friend. Three years and hundreds of pages later, The Impossible Texan was born, and Ballantine Publishing saw enough promise in Shaw's work to sign her for a two book contract. A frequent public speaker on both writing and family issues, Shaw takes her family and her faith as seriously as her writing, coffee and chocolate (the two major food groups). Dividing her days between heroes and Hot Wheels, heroines and Barbies, Shaw carves her writing time out in the midst of peanut butter, laundry, and the other tasks of keeping a home together. She refers to her two children, ages 4 and 8, as her Humility Committee, claiming they have a unique talent for putting her in her place despite the rising career. Her faith, Shaw claims, is the glue that holds the whole roller-coaster ride together. Other passions include old English epic poetry, playing the harp, and--of course--reading. Allie Shaw is in it for the long haul. The Impossible Texan is the first of two books set in 19th centuty Texas. Fans of The Impossible Texan can expect to follow one of the story's supporting characters through The Impossible Bride, scheduled for release in July 2002. And there's plenty more where that came from, she says.