First and foremost, Jodi Thomas is a proud fifth generation Texan, a reason why her books are all set in the state. She has her degree in Family Studies, with her original background in Marriage and Family counseling. In 2002, she was honored by Texas Tech University as a Distinguished Alumni. Her first novel, Beneath the Texas Sky, was published in 1988 and won the National Press Women's Novel of the Year award.
Since then, Thomas has written many books, multiples of which have appeared on the New York Times and USA Today Best Sellers lists. She has won the Romance Writers of America prestigious RITA award four times and was inducted into their Hall of Fame in 2006 after her third win. Her latest novel, Just Down the Road, was number 15 on the New York Times Best Seller list. Thomas is a Writer in Residence at West Texas A & M University. When she isn't writing, she and her husband enjoy traveling.