In 1997, Renee Swindle was awarded a two-book deal by the Dial Press, based on a 100-page manuscript. Her first novel, Please Please Please, was published in 1999 and reached number two on the Blackboard Bestseller List, a list which ranks bestselling books by African-American authors. Please Please Please was also a Literary Guild featured selection and has been published in Japan and Germany, where it became a bestseller. She currently works as a writing coach and teaches Developing the Novel at UC Berkeley Extension and Major Project I and II at the University San Francisco as part of their MFA program. Her second novel Tell Me Something Good, is forthcoming.