DEBRA YATES hails from Ohio but now resides in southwest Florida. Although she began her writing later in life, she did so with great passion. Being of Cherokee descent and having had stories passed down from generation to generation, Debra found herself drawn to family history, to the point of enlisting a genealogist to verify her conclusions. Traveling to relevant destinations along the East Coast and in the Midwest, she brought her findings back to the peace, calm, and tranquility that she feels God has provided to her in the Sunshine State. Along the way she received the Inspirational Women in Literature Award. Since the release of Woman of Many Names, she has continued pursuing her goal of preserving the legacy of her seventh-great-grandmother’s historic life.