Sandra Balzo turned to mystery writing after twenty years in corporate public relations, event management, and publicity. Her first novel, UNCOMMON GROUNDS, was nominated for an Anthony and a Macavity Award, and her first short story, THE GRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER (EQMM), was nominated for an Anthony and won both the Robert L. Fish Award and the Macavity Award for Best Short Story in 2004. Her second short story, VISCERY (also EQMM), won the Derringer Award and was nominated for a Macavity.

Sandy has handled publicity for three Bouchercons (World Mystery Conventions), as well as the International Association of Crime Writers, and has been a national board member of Mystery Writers of America. GROUNDS FOR MURDER, the second Maggy Thorsen coffee mystery, came out in December of 2007 from Severn House and received a starred review from Booklist. The third book in the series -- BEAN THERE, DONE THAT -- garnered a starred review from Kirkus and was followed last year by BREWED,CRUDE and TATTOOED. The fifth Maggy Thorsen novel, FROM THE GROUNDS UP, was released in early 2010. Sandy just finished A CUP OF JO, which is scheduled for a fall release.