Stella is forty-three, single, with no children, living in Saint Paul, Minnesota, surviving a horrific childhood. Her instincts are to be antisocial, but her therapist wants her to try and make new friends. Her life changes when she meets her next-door neighbor, Amanda, and begins playing Scrabble with strangers on the internet. Soon, she finds herself making a new friend, surrounded by children, going to clubs, and falling in love in a most unusual way to a man that is the complete opposite of herself. This is a story of survival and redemption in a harsh world.

Melanie Wilson lives in Saint Paul, Minnesota, with her family. Ms. Wilson has grown up in the Midwest. She was born in Brainerd, Minnesota, living there until she was six. She went to elementary school in Dakota and Houston, Minnesota, before moving to Arcadia, Wisconsin, in fifth grade. She graduated from Arcadia Public High School in 1990. Ms. Wilson attended Winona State University in Winona, Minnesota, double-majoring in studio art and English literature. She spends her time raising her children, writing, and doing direct support for people with disabilities. She is also a singer and painter.