Brenda Rickman Vantrease is a former librarian and English teacher from Nashville, Tennessee. Brenda is a graduate of Belmont College where she majored in English and minored in history. She also holds a masters degree and a doctorate from Middle Tennessee State University.

Brenda's debut novel The Illuminator, published by St. Martin's Press in 2005, was translated into fourteen foreign languages, garnered praise from several respected writers and trade journals and became a national best-seller. Her second novel The Mercy Seller was published by St. Martin's Press in hardcover in March of 2007. The paperback edition was released from St. Martin's Griffin, April, 2008. Brenda's third novel The Heretic's Wife (St. Martin's, April of 2010) is in stores now.  Brenda resides in Nashville with her husband Don.  

Brenda would love to hear from you. Contact Brenda