The former tells the story of a violent relationship between a white man and a black man in 1930s Mississippi, while the latter is based on excursions Taylor had to the South as a youngster with her family. Taylor has received national acclaim for every book she has written on the Logan family. She began publishing novels at the age of 30 when her first novel, The Winding River, was released in 1966. Mildred was born in Columbus, Ohio but grew up in Washington D.C. Her father was a doctor who worked for the government during World War II and her mother was a homemaker. When she was six years old, the Taylors moved to Seattle where her father practiced medicine. Here she developed an interest in writing which she later put to use when she enrolled at the University of Washington where she earned a degree in English literature in 1951. After graduating from college, Mildred moved back home to take a job as an editorial assistant at the Washington Post. It wasn't long before she was promoted to be the paper's social editor where she covered society events such as weddings and parties. In this role, she met many famous people including U.S. presidents and other politicians. In addition to being a writer, Mildred Taylor also served in the Washington State Senate from 1963 to 1969 where she became well known for her efforts to improve health care for state inmates.