Linda Greenlaw studied English and government at Colby College. During the summer after her freshman year, she became a cook and deckhand on the fishing boat Walter Leeman. She continued working on the boat during free time and vacations, and after graduating from college in 1983. She became a swordfish captain in 1986. She was featured in the book and film The Perfect Storm. She has written several books including the nonfiction works The Hungry Ocean, The Lobster Chronicles, All Fishermen Are Liars, and Seaworthy: A Swordfish Boat Captain Returns to the Sea as well as a cookbook entitled Recipes from a Very Small Island and two mystery novels entitled Slipknot and Fisherman's Bend. She… won the U.S. Maritime Literature Award in 2003 and the New England Book Award for nonfiction in 2004.