Author Vicki León, who grew up on the Oregon and Washington sides of the Columbia River, began digging razor clams at age four. Pursuing the elusive bivalve, she claims, "taught me the value of tenacity" a skill she's used to good advantage in her careers outside clamming. Now with 28 books to her credit, León has been a travel writer, nature book author, and the head of a California publishing house.

The work she's proudest of? Her nine books about real-life women of long ago, from ancient times through the 1870s. As León says, "A stay on Crete decades ago sparked my own Greek odyssey. In the process, I've become a historical detective, following clues about female achievers until I've unearthed enough to write about them." Now with four recent books in the Uppity Women in history series from Conari Press, León divides her time between Washington, California, and more distant lands. Between books, she's on the road, researching more women or talking to audiences about the remarkable women she's uncovered. An enthusiastic speaker, Vicki also offers fresh perspectives on the men of long ago, from Nero to Paul Revere. As she puts it, "That's my real goal: to reveal our whole human history and to give us a balanced look at our shared past.