DeVa Gantt is a pseudonym for coauthor sisters Deb and Val Gantt. Debra has a Bachelor’s degree in French and a Master’s degree in Business; Valerie has a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and Social Sciences.

Valerie and Debra were born and raised in New Jersey, where the Colette Trilogy—commencing with A Silent Ocean Away —was conceived. Presently, they live in New York. Both women are married, have children, and maintain full-time careers. Deb is a manager in a major pharmaceutical company, and Val is a teacher and artist. They began writing nearly 30 years ago and completed the Colette Trilogy after a long hiatus. Both women enjoy reading. At the time they began writing, their preferred literary genre was historical/romantic fiction, and favorite authors included Margaret Mitchell, Kathleen Woodiwiss, Marilyn Harris, Jane Austen, and Charlotte Bronte. They spent hours discussing their novels. Presently, they are eclectic readers; due to hectic schedules, they usually read books recommended by friends.

So, how did the sisters agree upon a catchy pen name? Simple: they trimmed their first names and pasted them together. Thus “DeVa” was born and paired with their maiden name, Gantt. Writing is DeVa’s escape from the mundane, and they often refer to the fictional Duvoisins as their “other” family. They hope you, too, will embark on a Duvoisin vessel and escape to Charmantes.