Karen Marie Moning was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, one of four children. She graduated from Purdue University with a BA in Society and Law. After a decade of working with insurance litigation and arbitration, she quit her job to pursue her dream of a writing career. Four manuscripts and countless part-time jobs later, Beyond the Highland Mist was published by Bantam Dell and nominated for two prestigious RITA awards. Author of the beloved HIGHLANDER series and the thrilling new FEVER series, her novels have appeared on The New York Times, USA Today, and Publisher's Weekly bestsellers lists, and have received many industry awards, including the RITA.

Karen met her husband, Neil on a trip to Georgia to visit her agent. He shares her love of books and collects hardcover first-editions. They were married on Christmas 2005, and now share bookcases and a breathtaking view in their new home at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Karen's ideal writing day begins at 4:30 in the morning "when everything is so quiet I can almost believe I'm the only person alive in the world." She breaks for a few hours at lunch, then edits in the afternoon. When asked for advice to aspiring writers she adds to the famous quote: work like you don't need the money, love like you've never been hurt, and dance like there's no one watching — "write like there are no critics."