Christine Monson was born in 1946. Raised in a West Virginia coal camp, she read for escape, learning to coax the ordinary out of the extraordinary. She published her controversial debut novel, Stormfire, in 1984.

Lauded by some readers as lyrical and moving, and condemned by others as a violently immoral tale, Stormfire, a romance set during the Irish Rebellion of 1798, has gained a cult following since its release. After Stormfire’s publication, Monson continued combining high-angst historical romance with political conflict: Rangoon is set prior to the third Anglo-Burmese War, Surrender the Night breaks apart the main couple during the Hungarian Revolution of 1848, and A Flame Run Wild follows a weary Crusader. She published her last two novels, Golden Nights and This Fiery Splendor, in the early 90s.