Fate took Rita Lakin from New York to Los Angeles, where she began an extensive writing career that has included staff writing for television programs such as Peyton Place, The Mod Squad, Dynasty, and Dr. Kildare, as well as creating original series such as The Rookies, Flamingo Road, and Nightingales. She wrote many movies of the week and miniseries such as Women in Chains and Strong Medicine. Rita Lakin has won awards from the Writers Guild of America, the Mystery Writers of America s Edgar Allan Poe Award, and the coveted Avery Hopwood Award from the University of Michigan. Getting Old Is a Disaster won the Lefty Award for Most Humorous Crime Novel.