Sharon Kurtzman worked in television marketing before pursuing her dream of becoming a writer. She earned her MFA in fiction from Vermont College of Fine Arts. Her debut historical novel, The Lost Baker of Vienna, publishing August 2025 with Pamela Dorman Books/Viking, was inspired by the war and postwar experiences of her family, who were Holocaust survivors. Her novel has been chosen as a Book of the Month Add-on pick for August 2025. The book will be published in seven languages. A former food writer, Sharon’s work has appeared in INDY Week, South Writ Large, and The Huffington Post. Kurtzman lives in North Carolina with her husband and their fun-loving goldendoodle; they have two adult children.