Welcome to The Official PHYLLIS A. WHITNEY Web site -- the first and only Internet site devoted exclusively to Phyllis A. Whitney. Its mission is to provide a central, online repository of information regarding the life and work of Phyllis A. Whitney, and to celebrate the author who has contributed so richly to the literary world and to the lives of so many people.

The Official PHYLLIS A. WHITNEY Web site was made official by Phyllis A. Whitney on September 16, 1999. As such, some of the information that you will find on this Web site will not be found anywhere else on the Internet, or in books by or about Phyllis A. Whitney at this time.

My name is Philip Tyo and I am the creator of The Official PHYLLIS A. WHITNEY Web site. Ever since I can remember, I have been a devoted reader of Phyllis A. Whitney's books since first discovering her 1958 juvenile mystery Secret of the Samurai Sword in a local library. Being raised in a military family, whenever we settled in a new area I would scour my local and school libraries searching for her other mysteries such as Secret of Goblin Glen or Mystery of the Scowling Boy. Although my reading tastes were varied, I was always drawn back to Phyllis A. Whitney's juvenile mysteries. From settings far and wide, her rich and vivid descriptions of exotic areas exposed me to different cultures, expanding my view of the world around me. Moreover, her books brought me some much-needed companionship while providing adventure and excitement at the same time. I suspect that this was (and still is) true for many of her readers. As an adult, I naturally transitioned into reading her adult suspense novels where, once again, I was transported to places near and far, and enveloped in exciting and suspenseful adventures.

Over the years Phyllis A. Whitney's books have brought reading pleasure to me and my family. Her juvenile mysteries remain timeless - offering young people valuable lessons on growing up, acceptance of others, and, most important, on believing in themselves. Even today, the prolific Phyllis A. Whitney continues to attract a new generation of readers, recently winning the high-school level 1998 Virginia State Reading Association Young Readers Award for her 1997 adult novel, Daughter of the Stars.

The Official PHYLLIS A. WHITNEY Web site gives me the opportunity to give something back to my favorite author and to meet those of you who share the same affection for her work. I hope that you enjoy the site and come back to visit often.

All the best, Philip Tyo