Valerie Burns  was born and raised in South Bend, Indiana.

She graduated from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science and Urban Studies. Valerie later went on to get a Master of Science in Administration from the University of Notre Dame and a Master of Fine Arts in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University.

By day Valerie is an Operations Manager at a call center for an appliance manufacturer. At night, Valerie writes cozy mysteries, children’s books and screenplays.

Valerie currently lives in Eastern Tennessee with her three poodles (Cash, Kensington and Chloe).