Gina Augustini Best is a former award-winning journalist. She earned a bachelor’s degree in humanities from the University of Houston-Clear Lake and a master’s degree in communication and media from Texas Tech University. She also completed The Writer’s Path, a novel-writing program at Southern Methodist University. She lives in the Dallas area with her husband, daughter, two attention-seeking dogs, and one hands-off cat. Her writing often explores themes of unconditional love and complex family bonds. Despite stories that tackle realistic, and sometimes gritty issues, her works focus on hopeful and empowering messages.