Griffin, Claire J.: - Kirkus Book of the Year author Claire Griffin has rowed competitively, traveled to seven continents, kayaked below the Antarctic Circle, camped in Africa, driven across the Sahara, eaten bugs, and been stung by scorpions two separate times. Claire has always said yes rather than no to adventure, which may be why she decided to write a novel about Belle Boyd, a scandalous woman of history who defied so many rules. Claire and her husband of forty-five years live in a beautiful little town on the coast of Connecticut.