Arline grew up an only child on Maryland's Eastern Shore, a rural environment of open country situated between Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic, and peopled by oystermen, crabbers, and farmers a culture known independent thouight, for standing on its own convictions and who answer only to God. While her parents were indulgent she is quick to point out that being the only one is not as carefree as might be thought. "No matter what chore," she points out with a grin. "It was always my turn. As a teen she lived in a log cabin on Cook's Point, with the Choptank River about 100 yards from the back step, and Chesapeake Bay half a mile from the front door. The cabin came with five bedrooms, a porch that hugged the house all the way around, and a welcome mat for friends, relations, and semi-permanent houseguests. Refreshments were never a problem with a generous garden and the Bay's bounty available to anyone with a crab net.

Arline married young and happily, raised two sons, and became a college freshman at 35, juggling college classes with a full time job, with two teenagers. She studied writing with poet Michael Waters, wrote her first stores and sold some of them to regional magazines.

Arline was the first to receive Maryland's Governor's Award for her novella THE DROWNED LAND and the same work collected with her other stories, received the Epic Award, then referred to as "Eppie," from the Elictronic Industry Publisher's Coalition in their first year of opertion.

Arline Chase is a member of the Author's Guild, the International Womens' Writing Guild, and became a charter member of the Eastern Shore Writer's Association, where she wrote the grant that funded their first publication and served in a number of offices, including President. She is a member of The Writers Bloc and has has served as publisher of their collected works.