A former teacher and businesswoman, June Weiner has a B.A. in English and Sociology from the University of California at Los Angeles. Women who have suffered from the blows of a divorce and then journeyed forward to rebuild their lives are the inspiration for this story. Thirty-three years ago June secured her marriage proposal with the Baked Chicken and Artichoke recipe that appears in the book. She and her husband, Richard, reside in San Diego, California. They have one married son, an emergency-room doctor, and two grandchildren.