After spending twelve years as a kitchen manager at a large sorority at the University of Minnesota, she decided it was necessary to either the real thing or commit murder on paper. Thus, she became a mystery writer. Now working on her eighteenth novel, Ellen is a four-time winner of the Lambda award for Best Lesbian mystery, and twice winner of the Minnesota Book Award for Best Crime & Detective Fiction. She teaches mystery writing at the University of Minnesota and at the Loft Literary Center. She lives in Minneapolis with her partner of 23 years. Visit Ellen's web site for more details of her Jane Lawless series and her Sophie Greenway series.