J.M. Robeson writes gripping tales about women (and occasionally the men who try to keep up with them) as they claw their way out of life’s worst messes with nothing but guts, grit, and the occasional sarcastic comeback. She calls Houston, Texas home—where chaos is a family sport. When she’s not writing, she’s busy wrangling two teenage boys, three misbehaving dogs, one suspiciously panther-like cat, a tortoise named Tomato (who’s the emotional support animal for the rest of them), and her endlessly patient husband—who somehow keeps smiling through the madness.