After having worked as a stenographer, bank teller and clerical and administration officer, Sybil Rowlands is now a retiree. She is married with grown-up children and has completed her Business degree as a mature age student. She is also involved with various singing groups and church groups and activities. Sybil originally began to write a story about her daughter's dog but ended up writing Rain Dog which is completely fictitious. After writing the story Sybil began to read articles in the newspapers of dogs that had run away in storms, so knew she had the right story line. Also, the plight of homeless folk has long saddened her but Sybil didn't know how to help them in their situation.