Trivia

After J.K. Rowling, she is the world's second best-selling female author.

A descendant of author Harriet Beecher Stowe.

Her former spouse, Charles Cornwell, edited her book "Portrait of a Killer: Jack the Ripper, Case Closed".

She helped establish the Virginia Institute of Forensic Science and Medicine

On July 20, 1997, Cornwell coupled her Richmond, Va., book signing for Unnatural Exposure with a blood drive held by The Virginia Blood Services. The event raised 141 pints of blood, which is a record collection for a one-day drive.

Her first novel - "Postmortem" - was rejected seven times until it was eventually released in 1990.

Struggles with bipolar disorder.

In 1984 she took a job in the Virginia medical examiner's office and for six years she worked at the morgue, first as a technical writer, then as a computer analyst

Graduated in 1979 with a degree in literature

Was a police reporter

Her first book was a biography of Ruth Bell Graham, whom she had befriended as a child, called A Time for Remembering. It was published in 1983.

As of 2008, she is the most successful crime writer in the world.

Is a middle child with two brothers: Jim (one year older) and John (three years younger)

Moved to Montreat, North Carolina at age seven, with her mother and siblings.

When working at the Charlotte Observer, she wrote under the byline "Patsy Daniels".

In 1980, she won an investigative reporting award from the North Carolina Press Association. The award was for a series she did on prostitution for the Charlotte Observer newspaper.

In the late '70s, she worked at the Charlotte Observer newspaper, inserting the daily television listings. She moved on to work in the newsroom, first as a clerk, and later as a police reporter.

Likes to play drums

Has one Boston Terrier and four English Bulldogs [2003]

Owns several handguns.

Counts spouses Billy Graham and Ruth Bell Graham as her personal mentors.

Working on the 14th novel in the Scarpetta Series, which has the working title "Predator". (September 2004)

Attended the final exam for the crime scene investigators at the National Forensic Academy in Tennessee. (July 2005)

Writing a serialization for the New York Times Magazine, called "At Risk". (February 2006)

Is the keynote speaker at the Markle Symposium in New Haven, Connecticut. (March 2005)

Born to Marilyn and Sam Daniels.

Biography/bibliography in: "Contemporary Authors". New Revision Series, Vol. 131, pages 74-78. Farmington Hills, MI: Thomson Gale, 2005.

Had a lecture and book signing at the Congress Centre in London on November 7th. (November 2005)