Brunstetter grew up in
Tacoma, Washington. and she would have to wait another three years before her second book was accepted by a publishing house. Brunstetter worked as a typist for the government and met her husband through work while he was stationed at
Fort Lewis. She and her husband have two children. In 1980, her mother asked her to take a
correspondence course on writing and afterwards, Brunstetter began to sell work to children's magazines and religious publications. == Work ==