Before finally getting around to writing full-time, Elizabeth Dearl worked as a security guard, an employment counselor, a secretary, a police dispatcher, a county sheriff's department reserve deputy, a police officer, and a bookstore owner/operator. Writing, though, was her first love, and she decided at an early age that she wanted to be a writer when she grew up.

Elizabeth is a native Texan, born and raised in West Texas--but she's lived in the Houston area for a long time. She's been married for 26 years to a wonderful guy named Joe, who is a detective with the Sugar Land Police Department. Their only child is a "fur child" of the canine variety. Casey is an extremely smart and handsome Australian Cattle Dog. They were once the proud adopted parents of a ferret named Abby (the ferret, Hazel, in DIAMONDBACK is a tribute to Abby), but she died a few years ago at the ripe old age of 9.

Elizabeth Dearl has had many short stories published over the past few years, but DIAMONDBACK was her first full novel.