Biography

Writing about myself is not as easy as writing about my hero and heroine. You see, my life is nowhere as interesting or exciting. I grew up in a small town in Kenya, learned to read at a young age, my dear Mom’s influence. May her soul rest in peace. I read anything I could get my hands on.

I later discovered Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys. Then one day, I found my older sister’s stash of Mills & Boons and discovered a new world, the world of romance novels.

I came to the US after my first degree, got a PhD in chemistry, fell in love with a lovely man and got married. My first attempt at writing was pitiful: I wrote a time travel for young adults. All I received was rejection after rejection. I decided to write something I knew and loved, romance story. I went for a full length novel, a historical based in ancient Egypt and Nubia. “The Reformed Rogue” never got revised or submitted, but I have hopes. One day…oh yeah, one day it will grace shelves in bookstores.

From 1998 to 2001, I worked on three books. I polished them, never thought of entering them in contests, just started submitting to editors One Day at a Time was accepted in 2002 and published in 2003. My first two books were still occupying space in my computer. I never gave up on them though. I polished the contemporary Kenyan manuscript, and was thrilled when it was accepted as part of a two-book deal in 2003. Vows of Passion came out in May 2004, and Timeless Devotion, the sequel to One Day at a Time, came out in Aug 2005. I contemplated writing the last book in that trilogy but other characters were calling to me, the Satchels.

While I wait for my agent to find a home for these Satchel series, I was approached by a Kenyan publisher to write romance novels with Kenyan characters. He read some of my published books and liked my style I guess. Anyway, I just completed the first Kenyan book tentatively titled Tropical Heat. I'm presently plotting book 2.

I hope you'll get to read these stories. I've come a long way as a writer and continue to learn, grow and improve with every book.

I live with my dear husband and five kids in a picturesque town in the center of a valley surrounded by lush vegetation and mountains. Summers are hot, spring and fall colorful, and winters cold. That's Utah for you. I’ve been here for eighteen years now and love it. It's home.

I hope I haven't bored you with my rambling. I'd love to hear from you, so be sure to drop me a note.

Bella McFarland
bellamcfarland@netscape.net

I love to hear from readers so drop me a line. Click here for my e-mail link or stop by my blog and chitchat, or visit me at myspace or facebook page, whatever works for you.