Diana M. Hawkins grew up in Zimbabwe. She moved to the United States as an adult, where she attended college and later pursued a career as a journalist and environmental writer. She has published two novels, an earlier printing of Shadows Along the Zambezi and later the sequel, Shadows Over an African Heart. The second book follows Piet and Jessica's continuing work to protect Zimbabwe's elephants. Hawkins is also the author of a children's picture book, Lumpy the Elephant, and a short biography, Mom's Cat Stories. Her home is north of Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A.

In 2008 Zimbabwe is a dangerous place. Violence, rape, murder and inhuman levels of greed and brutality rule the land as lawless gangs battle for power. Commercial farmer turned environmentalist, Pieter van Rooyen, felt the terror seven years earlier when his family was brutally attacked, and their farm seized during Zimbabwe's historic, violent land-distribution scheme. Piet joins forces with American wildlife biologist, Jessica Brennan, to protect Zimbabwe's threatened elephant herds that are being slaughtered by poachers and corrupt government officials. Piet's neighbor, Angus McLaren, another dispossessed farmer, joins Jessica and Piet to protect the country's wildlife. Together the trio wins over the local National Park Service chief, Hector Kaminjolo, and professional hunter, Blair Nisbet, who step in to champion their cause.Against a backdrop of kidnappings, murders and international intrigue, Jessica and Piet's healing love story emerges, proving that love can conquer all.