Gryffin Murphy, author of Love at First Lance, has lived many lives (and not just vicariously through the characters in her head). Before embracing her true calling as an author, Gryffin made balloon animals as a children’s clothing store associate, composed theme songs for puppies as a dog daycare attendant, drew blood through car windows as a phlebotomist on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic , and ushered in successful new talent as a marketing and sales recruiter, until, at long last, she listened to the universe and transitioned to a part-time role at a whimsical gift shop that gives her ample time to read and write. Gryffin lives in Virginia with her husband and two pugs, Bagels and Buster. She spends most of her days in overalls, trying to befriend the neighborhood crows and writing books that warm the heart like the perfect cup of tea on a rainy day.