Joyce Burd Hicks grew up in Upstate New York. A career move to a university in Indiana has given her a love of Chicago and midwestern life reflected in her novels Escape from Assisted Living and One More Foxtrot. From her childhood in New York, she imagined Unexpected Guests at Blackbird Lodge. She writes about domestic life and our searches for fulfillment, particularly at gateways to new stages. She has performed at story-telling events at the Goodman Theater in Chicago and is a member of Chicago Writers. She is also a gardener and quilter. Find her at joycebhicks.com.