Nicole McInnes is an author, speaker, writing and literature instructor, animal lover, chocolate aficionado, and mom. Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, she attended the University of California at Santa Cruz and Northern Arizona University. The “idea seeds” for 100 Days—and for Agnes’s, Moira’s and Boone’s characters—emerged from a multitude of experiences. These include Nicole’s work with therapeutic horseback riding programs for people with emotional, physical, and cognitive disabilities; her own postmodern/goth/punk-inspired fashion and music phase as a young adult; and her many years of living in rustic, rural settings, where water needs to be hauled and pipes sometimes freeze. Nicole lives in the mountains of northern Arizona with her family. The nonhuman menagerie-in-residence consists of elderly Arabian horses, middle-aged dogs of the Australian Shepherd and golden variety, a dieting Siamese cat, a betta fish with attitude, and occasional stray visitors of various species. The San Francisco Bay Area remains her second home. 100 Days is her second novel. Visit her online at nicolemcinnes.com.