From Amazon.com:
Alex Baj was born in the coal mining region of eastern Pennsylvania. She had a magical childhood growing up in a house on a hill overlooking a farm with horses, lots of room to run, and fun places to explore. Ms. Baj loves to travel. She has lived in Russia and the United Kingdom and has visited many countries, including France, South Africa, Nicaragua, Estonia, Senegal, Uzbekistan, and China. Ms. Baj currently lives near Washington, D.C. with her husband, children, and a friendly black dog named Duncan. The Black Stone Prophecy is Ms. Baj's first book.