ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Former newspaper and magazine writer
and editor, Carol Schmidt was public
relations director for the medical
research programs at Harbor-UCLA
Medical Center in LA. She published
three mystery novels now out of print:
Silverlake Heat, Sweet Cherry Wine,
and Cabin Fever. Her writing is in
seven anthologies, including the Library
of America's Reporting Civil Rights
(www.reportingcivilrights.org). Her
freelance articles have appeared in
hundreds of publications, including
the Los Angeles Times, Long Beach
Independent-Press Telegram, and National
Catholic Reporter.  Born and raised
in Detroit, she moved to LA in 1970.
She met Norma in 1979 when both were
on the state board of directors of
California NOW. Carol and Norma RVed
full-time for more than three years
and then lived in retirement RV parks
in Arizona and Washington. Carol also 
studies watercolor in San Miguel.

Former accountant and tax preparer,
Norma Hair was director of accounting for
a major mortgage company. Born and raised
in Pontiac, MI, she reared three children
before going to college at 39, and has four
grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
As treasurer of Sunset Junction Street Fair,
a Silverlake community effort that soon
grew to a quarter million attendees in LA
each August, Norma also did volunteer
accounting and tax work for several
community service organizations. She was
honored by such LA groups as El Centro del
Pueblo, a social services organization that
works with local street gangs, for her
community contributions. When she and Carol
owned a hobby ceramics store in rural
Michigan, Norma ran two statewide trade
shows of the Michigan Ceramic Dealers
Association. She is a batik artist and
gourmet cook in San Miguel.