Elena E. Smith is a hard-boiled cozy writer who grew up in Arizona then spent her adult life in Los Angeles. She has had four separate careers (with some overlap, of course - she's not a hundred years old), including entry-level jobs in the entertainment industry, advertising sales account executive, paralegal, and mobile home sales. She has been to London and Paris, owned her own horse, and had a booth in an antique mall. She has a Bachelor's degree in Adult Basic Education (CSULB) and an AA in Criminal Justice. She is now retired and spends her time writing and hanging out with her husband and their dog. Smith has had a number of short stories published. Her plans for 2026 are to release the third book in the Mahuenga series in addition to a collection of short stories, called DARKER.