MizDean  

MizDean grew up in a household exclusively composed of adults, so she was a tad precocious. Her neighborhood, South Philly, was, and always has been, a mix of different cultures. She grew up hearing many languages and witnessing the customs of the immigrants who had settled there. As a child, she learned to observe people, developing an eye for detail and an ear for the unusual. This inquisitiveness led to her affinity for research and a desire to write. Her love of other places led to a semester in France and a B. A. in French Civilization, with a minor in Spanish. Her interest in history and her penchant for romance novels directed her to write her first historical romance, "FAITHFUL." It was named a 2005 Independent Book Awards Finalist in the Romance category. "KINDRED" was her next logical step after recalling a snippet of information her maternal grandmother had related to her about them possibly having American Indian ancestors. She decided to spin it into an historical romance under her pen name. Anita, who uses the pseudonym, "P. J. Dean," lives with her very demanding cat, Bart.