ʃiː bɪɡˈæn ɹˈaɪɾɪŋ ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti sˈɪks ˈæftɚɹ ɐ ʃˈɔːɹt stˈoːɹi ʌv hɜːz wʌz ɹˈʌnɚɹˌʌp ɪn ɐ nˈæʃənəl kˌɑːmpətˈɪʃən spˈɑːnsɚd baɪ ɡˈʊd hˈaʊskiːpɪŋ mˌæɡɐzˈiːn.
She began writing in 1996 after a short story of hers was runner-up in a national competition sponsored by Good Housekeeping magazine.