Meggin Patricia Cabot always aspired to be an artist. Born on February 1, 1967, in Bloomington, Indiana, Cabot grew up in a home which encouraged creativity.

Her parents, A. Victor Cabot, a decision and information systems professor at Indiana University's Business School, and Barbara Cabot, supported their daughter's artistic interests. Visiting the Monroe County Public Library, Cabot eagerly read books ranging from classical literature written by Jane Austen to popular fiction penned by Barbara Cartland and Judy Blume. A Wrinkle in Time and Beauty and the Beast were her favorite stories.

Like her best-known protagonist Mia Thermopolis, Cabot kept a journal in which she documented her opinions and emotions while attending Bloomington High School South. She credits her diary with helping her retain a perspective of adolescence because "it is all fresh in my head" (teenreads.com). Fond of dramatic expressions, she participated in theater. Like...