Trudy Lynn (Bootsy) Silverheels was born in Arizona and spent her early childhood there and in New Mexico. Her name at birth was Linda Yazzie. When she was twelve years old, her family relocated to Mexico City. There she graduated from high school and university before returning to the USA for graduate studies at the University of Texas. She made her permanent home in Houston, Texas, but she maintained a retreat house in Mexico, where she did most of her writing.