Anita Stansfield

           Elizabeth D. Michaels is a pseudonym for best-selling author Anita Stansfield. Since the majority of her published work prior to 2013 was written for a limited religious market, she chose-at the suggestion of her new publisher-to release the Horstberg Saga under a separate name in order to clarify the different genres. She has frequently been asked why she chose this name; the answer is that Elizabeth and Michael are two of her favorite characters from previously published books, and the initial D. comes from her mother's first name.
          Whether or not readers share Anita's religious beliefs, they can count on the writings of Elizabeth D. Michaels to be clean and value-oriented, offering a refreshing option to much of the world's fiction. Having read a great deal of romantic fiction and dramatic novels in her younger years, she has always felt an aversion to "fluffy" romance, or stories lacking any real depth with the characters and the struggles they are facing. Creating characters that feel realistic, and putting them into plot-lines that make them grow and evolve, is what she loves best about her work.
          Under whatever name you find her writings, Anita is known for taking on difficult and sensitive topics that are often faced by real people in everyday life. Even in the midst of larger-than-life situations, the characters continue to remain human and relatable. One of her main goals in writing-beyond that of making a great story-is to uplift, enrich, and educate her readers on social and emotional issues. She believes a good book should not only entertain its readers and offer a means of escape, but it should make them feel like a better person for having read the story; perhaps more compassionate to those around them who have been through difficulties, and perhaps more compassionate toward themselves.
          Anita was born in Provo, Utah in 1961. She married Vince Stansfield in 1980, and together they have five children and a growing number of grandchildren. From the age of sixteen, Anita felt the need to write stories and see them go out into the world, but it took her another sixteen years to get published. Her original goal of writing romantic historical novels for a world market took a welcome detour in 1994 when her first published book became an immediate best-seller in the LDS publishing market. Anita Stansfield's fame and notoriety grew quickly within the parameters of this limited audience, where she pioneered new ground and received many awards. Through letters received from her fans she has enjoyed knowing that her books are read by both men and women, from the very young to the very old, and many people with other beliefs have still very much enjoyed her LDS-themed stories.
          The Horstberg Saga is a story that started germinating in Anita's mind back in high school. The first book came to her when she was a young mother, but it remained tucked in her memory while she adjusted to adult life and motherhood. For thirty years she has been working on these novels in between and around all of the other writing she has done.
          "Every book I've written has value and purpose," she says, "but The Horstberg Saga is the story I was born to write. My own journey of self-discovery as a writer and as a person has taken place alongside these characters as they have evolved and come to fruition. It is a great thrill to finally have these books available to the public and to share this piece of my heart with my readers."

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