AMARILLO, TX -- 'Somewhere Along the Way' is in its third week on the New York Times Best Sellers book list, and the author lives right here in Amarillo.

Jodi Thomas, has written 30 books, and has made the best sellers list six times.

Thomas' career didn't start off as an English teacher, but rather a home and family living teacher at Amarillo High.

She began writing in the early 1980's, and in 1987 she sold her first book.

"I'd always kind of wanted to write and so I started a book while I was in grad class and I just got more and more into it," said Jodi Thomas, Local Author.

Thomas says writing is just part of her life now and she couldn't image a life without it.

"If I go two or three days without writing I really am frustrated because I want to get back to the story, and there's always a story I'm working on and the story I'm thinking about next."

Her literature includes a variety of fictional works like historical romance, historical sagas, and recently mainstream contemporary novels.

Thomas says Amarillo has a rich writing community and an active writing group.

In fact, every June Thomas participates in a writing academy at West Texas A&M University for people interested in writing.

Alongside being an author, Thomas is also the Writer In Residence at WTAMU -- she has been there for eight years now.

All her books can be found online or at various book stores.