Asking Ms. Saxon where she is from is likely to elicit her whole life story. She’s not really “from” any one place. Though she currently resides in Sonoma County, California, she was born in Nampa, Idaho, and grew up moving between New Mexico, Arizona, Northern California, then Southern California, then Wyoming, then back up north …you get the picture. Her education was equally diverse, attending college in California and Tennessee, as well as Berkshire, England, then back to Northern California. Her undergraduate degree is in Fine Arts, with a masters in Psychology and Art Therapy.

Writing has always been one of her creative passions. For years, she wrote poetry; the short stuff that could fit between raising a child, as well as two husbands, while pursuing a career in Social Services. Upon reaching retirement, she found a wife (smile) and the time needed for the other love of her life –writing the long stuff.

She is particularly proud of her daughter, Jesse, who is “an amazingly talented artist and graphic novelist”. Jess and her partner, Kim, are the creators of Mahou Shounen FIGHT and Scuttlebutt Ink.

Her wife, Lynell Phillips, a computer forensics expert, is a confident force behind the author and Ellys Phox. “Lynnie believes in me more than I believed in myself, encouraging me to move beyond the comfortable, to challenge myself.” Not only is Ms. Phillips the writer’s biggest fan, she provides a creative sounding board, as well as final read-through skills.

“Ellys Phox” is a combination of both their names.