Mary O'Hara (1885–1980) was born in New Jersey and grew up in New York. After living in California and working as a screenwriter, she moved to Wyoming, where she wrote several works that became classics, including My Friend Flicka. That book began as a short story, but a magazine editor saw potential in it and urged O'Hara to expand the story into a full-length novel. As a novel, it became quite popular with both critics and readers. In the book, O'Hara describes the beautiful and wild Wyoming ranch land that was her home. Other books by Mary O'Hara include Green Grass of Wyoming and Wyoming Summer.