▁raised ▁in ▁Ch ico , ▁California . ▁After ▁studying ▁cre ative ▁writing ▁and ▁education ▁at ▁Stan ford , ▁she ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁teach ▁art ▁and ▁writing ▁to ▁youth ▁in ▁low - in come ▁communities . ▁▁ ▁During ▁her ▁time ▁at ▁Stan ford , ▁she ▁began ▁ment oring ▁two ▁sister s . ▁The ▁sister s ▁were ▁placed ▁into ▁D iff en b augh ' s ▁cust ody ▁at ▁age ▁ 2 3 , ▁but ▁unable ▁to ▁care ▁for ▁them ▁surrender ed ▁them ▁to ▁the ▁fost er ▁care ▁system . ▁The ▁experience ▁inspired ▁D iff en b augh ▁and ▁her ▁husband ▁to ▁become ▁fost er ▁care ▁parents ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 7 . ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁she ▁founded ▁of ▁the ▁Cam ell ia ▁Network , ▁a ▁non pro fit ▁organization ▁intended ▁to ▁create ▁a ▁nation wide ▁movement ▁to ▁support ▁youth ▁transition ing ▁from ▁fost er ▁care . ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁the ▁network ▁was ▁acquired ▁by ▁the ▁non - pro fit ▁Youth ▁Vill ages . ▁ ▁Her ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁book , ▁The ▁Language ▁of ▁Flow ers , ▁stayed ▁ 6 9 ▁weeks ▁on ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁Times ’ ▁best - s eller ▁list ▁and ▁was ▁translated ▁into ▁ 4 2 ▁languages . ▁The ▁novel ▁follows ▁the ▁fra ug ht ▁life ▁of ▁a ▁Victoria ▁Jones , ▁who ▁by ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 1 8 , ▁had ▁lived ▁in ▁ 3 2 ▁fost er ▁homes , ▁and ▁becomes ▁a ▁flower ▁arr anger . ▁The ▁novel ▁was