Sue Monk Kidd

Sue Monk Kidd was born in Georgia and raised in the town called Sylvester. This town influenced Sue a lot about her novel she eventually wrote later in time called "The Secret Life of Bee's".
Her father would have to be Sue's biggest influence. When she was just a little girl he'd read stories to her, and it made her want to become a writer.
Sue's first book was, God's Joyful Surprise. It was published by Harper San Francisco in 1988. The book talks about the beginning of spiritual searching.
Sue began her writing and publishing by making short stories in small literary journals which she earned rewards for.
Her first novel The Secret Life of Bees has sold over 5 million copies. She spent over two years on New York Times bestseller list and published in 35 countries. She also was a graduating major in nursing at Texas Christian University with a B.S. degree.
Today Sue lives beside a salt marsh near Charleston, South Carolina with her husband Sandy and their black lab, Lily.

Awards and Recognition.
Nominated for the 2006 International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award- The Mermaid Chair
2006 Distinguished Alumna of the Year, presented by Texas Christian University

2006 South Carolina "The Order of the Palmetto" Award - State's highest civilian honor

2005 Winner of the Quill Award in General Fiction - The Mermaid Chair

2005 Southeastern Library Association Fiction Award winner - The Secret Life of Bees

2004 Book Sense Book of the Year, paperback- The Secret Life of Bees

Literature To Life Award presented by The American Place Theatre- 2004
Nominated for the 2004 International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award- The Secret Life of Bees.
Winner of the 2003 SEBA Book of the Year for The Secret Life of Bees
Finalist for the 2003 Book Sense Book of the Year Award, hardcover- The Secret Life of Bees
Finalist for the 2003 Boeke Prize in South Africa- The Secret Life of Bees
Nominated for the 2002 Orange Prize in England- The Secret Life of Bees
Winner of the 1996 Poets & Writers Exchange Program in Fiction
Citation in Best American Short Stories 1996, 100 Distinguished Stories for In the Graveyard of Afterbirth.
1994 South Carolina Fellowship in Literature by the South Carolina Arts Commission
Citation in Best American Short Stories 1994, 100 Distinguished Stories- The Secret Life of Bees.
1993 Katherine Anne Porter Second Prize in Fiction by the Nimrod/Hardman Awards
1994 & 1996 South Carolina Academy of Authors Fellowships in Fiction by the S.C. Academy of Authors

I got all this information from http://www.suemonkkidd.com/Author.aspx