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Maralys Wills has published eleven books, raised six children and "lucked into the worldÕs best teaching job."

Educated at Stanford and UCLA, she teaches novel-writing on the college level, and in 2000 was named Teacher of the Year. Her most challenging project, a poignant memoir titled Higher Than Eagles, became her greatest triumph, garnering excellent reviews and five movie options.

Wills considers public speaking the dessert for all the hard work of writing, and relishes every moment spent with a receptive audience. She lives and writes in Santa Ana, California.