Maya Banks is the pen name for Sharon Long. Escaping into the pages of a book is something she's loved to do since she was a child. Now she crafts her own worlds and characters and enjoys spending as much time with them as possible. A southern girl born and bred, she loves life below the Mason Dixon, and more importantly, loves bringing southern characters and settings to life in her stories. She lives in southeast Texas with her husband, three children and assortment of pets. When she's not writing, she loves to hunt and fish, bum on the beach, play poker and travel.