Schenkel, Andrea Maria

The German author Andrea Maria Schenkel was born and raised in Regensburg. Her parents were civil servants. Her mother and, particularly, her grandmother, often spoke about the old days, which awakened Schenkel's interest in storytelling. As a child she wrote short tales, often on a "bloody" subject, although because she was left-handed she was put off from writing school assignments. After graduation she trained at the postal services where she worked for thirteen years. Towards the end of her employment she was promoted to trainer. She then married a medical doctor, became a housewife and looked after their three children. She is now divorced, has a new life partner and alternately resides near Regensburg and in Westchester outside New York.