Susan Cole has lived on or around sailboats for more than thirty years. In between sails, she earned a B.A. at Barnard College, an M.A. at Columbia University, and for many years, ran a successful market research firm in New York. Her essays have appeared in literary journals and sailing magazines. Cole was born in Cleveland, Ohio. She has lived in New York, Connecticut, Florida, and Mexico; and now lives in New Orleans with her cat.