Patty Dann, MFA, is the author of Sweet & Crazy, Mermaids (made into a film with Cher, Winona Ryder and Christina Ricci), The Baby Boat and, most recently, The Butterfly Hours. Her articles have appeared in many publications, including The New York Times, O The Oprah Magazine and The Chicago Tribune. She is a member of PEN, The Authors Guild and New York Writers Workshop, and is a popular writing teacher.