Marianne Hayes is a writer, wife, mother and hopeless bookworm. After spending eight years getting lost in New York City and LA, she and her husband are now raising their two daughters in her hometown in the Tampa Bay region. She earned a BA in journalism and creative writing from the University of Central Florida, as well as a MA in special education. In addition to writing, Marianne spent several years as a special needs teacher in Brooklyn. Marianne’s writing has appeared in The Huffington Post, Forbes.com, The Daily Beast, Babble, LearnVest, and more. She particularly loves writing about Florida life and her family. Learn more about her adventures on her blog.