Diane McKinney Whetstone is the author of three critically acclaimed novels: Tumbling (William Morrow, 1996; Scribner, 1997), Tempest Rising ( William Morrow, 1998; Quill, 1999), and Blues Dancing (William Morrow, 1999). Her short fiction has appeared in the Anthology, The Bluelight Corner, and in the Sunday Magazine of the Philadelphia Inquirer. She has been a regular contributor to Philadelphia Magazine, and her essays have also appeared in Essence. She is the recipient of numerous awards including a special citation from the Athenaeum of Philadelphia for an outstanding work of fiction by a Philadelphia author, an award from the Zora Neale Hurston Society for creative contribution to literature, and resolutions from the City of Philadelphia and Senate of Pennsylvania for her portrayal of urban life. She is a past recipient of a Pennsylvania Council on the Arts grant and has lectured widely on the writing process. She is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania.