Chronicle of the Mound Builders is my first novel, written under the pen name of Elle Marie. It was inspired by the discovery of a Mound Builders village in my hometown of Chesterfield, Missouri, which added to the mystery of the ancient civilization and its disappearance. This book offers an imaginative narrative of what might have actually happened to destroy the prosperous community.   My first nonfiction book, Living the Thin Life, tells my personal story of learning how to stay fit and helps others develop their own unique plans for weight management.   By day, I work in the information technology field at a large financial services firm. I'm a graduate of the Missouri University of Science & Technology and live in the St. Louis area with my husband. My father was an engineer and a published author of several genealogy books.  I dedicated Living the Thin Life to him as he was my role model and inspiration. I am lucky to have very creative children.  My daughter Vicki helped edit both books and also developed my websites, www.chronicleofthemoundbuilders.com and www.livingthethinlife.com.  My son Stephen designed the book cover and provided the artwork for Living the Thin Life.