laurie blalock was born in texas, united states. she wrote her first short story at age eight, and finished her first novel four years later. at sixteen, she submitted a story to alfred hitchcock magazine. although it was rejected, she received a handwritten note telling her to keep writing. she continued to write, finishing 60 short stories over the next 10 years, persisting even while attending nursing school. all of her short stories were rejected, and a writing teacher finally suggested, in 1990, that she try to write a novel. wilde took the teacher's advice, and in 1994 sold her second completed work to silhouette romance under the pseudonym laura anthony. wilde wrote 11 novels under that name, with one becoming a finalist for the romance writers of america rita award.