Known for her debut historical novel, The Last Summer of the World (a finalist for the Young Lions Award), she also published a short story titled "Five Serrated Dreams" and several other pieces in such prominent journals as The Utne Reader and The Nation.
After graduating from Middlebury College in Vermont, she earned a Master of Fine Arts degree in creative writing from Brooklyn College in New York City.
She taught in the University of Maryland's English Department.
Born in London, England, she later lived in Vermont, New York, California, and Maryland.
Her novel The Last Summer of the World is based on the real-life experiences of World War I-era photographer Edward Steichen.