When Lillah Lawson was eight years old, she was chosen as a finalist in the Young Georgia Author contest at school. Her story was about a princess who, tired of waiting for her Prince, decides to save herself. Once she saw her words printed in the local newspaper, she knew she wanted to be a writer. Lillah has made her lifelong dream a reality, self-publishing two novels while dabbling in poetry, essays and children's fiction. Monarchs Under the Sassafras Tree is Lillah's first foray into historical fiction. She has always had a keen interest in history, especially that of the North Georgia Mountains. An amateur genealogist, she is fascinated by family dynamics in times of turmoil and those most vulnerable in society. Central State Hospital in Milledgeville is a locale dear to Lillah's heart¿a distant ancestor was a patient there, and she visits every summer to pay her respects.Lillah lives in North Georgia, not far from 'Five Forks', with her husband and son, her silly dog and two slightly evil cats. When she's not writing or curling up with a book, you can find her baking, playing bass, or out on her bike. She is currently working on another novel, set in the late 1960s.