Lee McClain's mixed feelings about cooking are the basis of her latest teen novel, Sizzle. Like Linda, Lee enjoys fresh foods and southwestern flavors. But like Pat, she values her time and prefers quick-and-easy cuisine to complicated, time-consuming dishes. Plus, she grew up in the Midwest, feasting on 5-cup salad and green bean casserole, and she still turns to comfort food from cans in times of distress.

When she's not writing, reading, or throwing a Frisbee with her ten-year-old daughter, Lee teaches English at Seton Hill University in the Pittsburgh area. She's the author of three related books for teens: My Alternate Life, My Abnormal Life, and My Loco Life.