www.vanessadiffenbaugh.com
www.camellianetwork.org
Vanessa Diffenbaugh's debut novel, The Language of Flowers, has received the kind of reception authors dream of. Rights to the novel have been sold in 36 countries so far and the book has enjoyed widespread praise. From literary groups to universities to philanthropic organizations focused on the welfare of children, The Language of Flowers has drawn a diverse audience. In addition to the theme of flowers and their meanings, the novel's central protagonist is a product of the foster care system, a subject that is very close to Diffenbaugh's heart. A foster parent herself, Diffenbaugh is the co-founder of The Camellia Network, an organization that assists young adults transition from foster care to adulthood and independence. In The Language of Flowers, Camellia means "My destiny is in your hands." The network's name emphasizes the belief in the interconnectedness of humanity.
Vanessa's inspiration for the flower theme in The Language of Flowers came after she discovered a copy of a vintage flower dictionary in a bookstore. Upon publication of her novel, there was widespread interest in the subject and she agreed to write an introduction for a new edition of A Victorian Flower Dictionary so that readers would have a companion to further their interest in the subject.
She was born in San Francisco and raised in Chico, California. After studying creative writing and education at Stanford, she went on to teach art and writing to youth in low-income communities. She and her husband, PK, have three children: Tre'von, eighteen; Chela, four; and Miles, three. Tre'von, a former foster child, is attending New York University on a Gates Millennium Scholarship. Diffenbaugh and her family currently live in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where her husband is studying urban school reform at Harvard.
