Family: Born Sarah Elizabeth Evelyn Byrd on December 8, 1912, in St. Louis, MO; died May 11, 1989, in Tucson, AZ; daughter of Joseph Hunter Byrd (an entrepreneur and mining promoter) and Emma (Howard) Byrd; married Don Phares. Education: Attended New York University, 1932-33. Elizabeth is the elder sister of composer Joseph Byrd (December 19, 1937) and physician Dr. Ruddell Byrd.
CAREER: Columbia Broadcasting System, radio news writer, 1939-45; Station WMCA, script writer and actress on "What's News," 1942-43; associate editor for New York literary agencies, 1944-50; Betty Byrd Associates (literary agency), owner and operator, 1951-53; A. L. Fierst Literary Agency, critic, 1952-53; Julian Messner, Inc., writer of jacket copy, 1952-60; freelance writer.
In addition to her 9 novels, she wrote a non-fiction book "A Strange and Seeking Time", and two short stories for Argosy in 1969- 1970:
* Gay Street Ghost, Argosy (UK) Jun 1969 * Try a Little Tenderness, Argosy (UK) Mar 1970
Contributor of articles and stories to Venture, Reader's Digest, McCall's, and Scottish Field.