Carol Lynn Pearson describes herself as a troublemaker and a problem solver. A fourth-generation Latter-day Saint who grew up in Utah and now lives in California, she loves the church that molded her into a spirited feminist and activist, courageous enough to challenge harmful concepts, even those of her own religious community. Her first collection of poems, Beginnings, sold more than 150,000 copies, followed by numerous books, lyrics, and stage plays. Her 1986 bestseller, Goodbye, I Love You, tells of her marriage to a gay man, Gerald Pearson, their eventual divorce, and her caring for him in her home as he died from AIDS. The profound impact of this story marked a turning point in the national perception of the gay community.