A lifelong freelance writer, Rick Rubin published more than fifty short stories in national magazines including Esquire , Argosy and Playboy , as well as hundreds of articles, essays, feature stories, and columns in newspapers, magazines and literary journals. His journalism and fiction have won a number of regional and national awards. Rick was born in Portland, Oregon's Northwest district and lived there with his wife Charlotte until his death on September 9, 2014. Rene Denfeld is an author, journalist, and death penalty investigator. Her debut novel, The Enchanted (Harper, 2014) was published to much acclaim, including Winner of the prestigious French Prix award, a finalist for the Flaherty First Novel Prize and an ALA Notable Book Award for Excellence in Fiction. She has written for The New York Times Magazine , The Oregonian , and the Philadelphia Inquirer . Her nonfiction books include the international bestseller The New Victorians ; Kill The Body , The Head Will Fall ; and All God's Children . She lives in Portland, Oregon, with her three children, all adopted from foster care.

She loves parenting, gardening and volunteering with at-risk children.