

I always thought I would be a high school English teacher.” In a 2005 interview with Toledo’s The Blade newspaper, Harper said, “I never dreamed of being a writer. While growing up, she spent time at her neighborhood library skimming through biographies, histories, and British novels. Harper in 1975, and they made Columbus, Ohio, their home for more than 35 years. Harper also taught English at The Ohio State University. Before she became a bestselling novelist, Harper was a high school English instructor in Columbus, Ohio, for five years and later headed Westerville-North High School’s English department in Westerville, Ohio. After graduating from Ohio University in 1967, Harper was awarded a teaching scholarship to Ohio State University and earned a master’s degree in 1969.

Harper was raised in Toledo and graduated from DeVilbiss High School in 1963. (an engineer and draftsman) and Margaret (a teacher) Kurtz. Harper was born in Toledo, the daughter of Robert A.
