Author Jodi Picoult was born on Long Island in 1966. She received a degree in English and creative writing from Princeton University and a Master's degree in education from Harvard University. While at Princeton University, she had two short stories published in Seventeen magazine. Before becoming a bestselling author of over ten novels, she worked as a technical writer for a brokerage firm, as a copywriter for an ad agency, as an editor for a textbook publisher, and as an English and creative writing teacher. She received the New England Bookseller Award for Fiction in 2003. She also writes for Family Fun magazine and is working on screenplays. She lives in Hanover, New Hampshire with her husband and three children.