Of Uzbek heritage, M.O. Yuksel was born in Türkiye, raised in New York City, and now lives in New Jersey with her three kids, two cats, and one husband.
She has a bachelor’s degree in English Literature from Fordham University, and a master’s degree in International Affairs from Columbia University. Before becoming a full-time writer, she worked in the education field in the U.S. and overseas for over twenty years as an administrator, manager, and teacher.
She has a passion for research and learning and loves to share what she learns by writing about little-known historical figures, and diverse cultures. When she’s not writing, she’s usually on the soccer field cheering for her kids or traveling to exotic places and immersing herself in the local culture. She loves nature, bike riding, and indulging in shameless amounts of chocolate. Occasionally, she’ll venture to teach her friends how to pronounce her real name – Munevver (Mar-vel-ous). But her friends never make it past the “Mar,” and prefer to use her nickname – Mindy. Find out more at moyuksel.com.
