Erman, Esther: - Like her heroine, Rebecca, Esther Erman was a refugee. A naturalized citizen, she early on developed a passion for language, which led to her earning a doctorate in language education, writing her dissertation about the Yiddish language, and working with international students on many levels. A multi-published author, Esther now lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband. When they're not traveling--especially to be with family in other parts of the US and in England--she loves to bake, quilt, and add to her monumental book collection.