Note: In some years more than one "event" has happened in Lois Duncan's life/career. This is not in chronological order. It just happened within that year.

1934: On April 28 Lois Duncan Steinmetz, daughter of Joseph Janney (a magazine photographer) and Lois Steinmetz (a magazine photographer; maiden name, Foley) is born in Philadelphia, PA.

1937: The Steinmetz family moves to Sarasota, Florida.

1944: Lois Duncan starts submitting stories to magazines but receives only rejections.

1947: At 13, Duncan sells her story "Calling All Girls" to Seventeen magazine. During her teen years Duncan continues to write.

1952: Duncan enrolls in Duke University but feels out of place once she's there.
1953: Duncan marries a college pre-law senior named Joseph "Buzz" Cardozo. She drops out of college. They have three children together during their marriage: Robyn, Kerry, and Brett.
1954: Duncan's first child, Robin Dale, is born.
1956: Duncan's second child, Kerry Elizabeth, is born.
1958: Duncan wins first prize in the Seventeenth Summer Literary contest from publisher Dodd, Mead. Her winning entry--Debutante Hill--is published.
1958: Under pseudoynm Lois Kerry Love Song for Joyce is published.
1959: Under pseudoynm Lois Kerry A Promise for Joyce is published.

1960: Duncan's third child, Brett Duncan, is born.
1960: The Littlest One in the Family is published.
1961: Duncan and Buzz divorce. Duncan moves to Albuquerque, New Mexico to live near her brother. She works at an advertisement agency but soon quits. She supports herself and her children through writing.
1961: The Middle Sister is published.
1962: Game of Danger and Silly Mother are published.
1963: Giving Away Suzanne is published.
1964: Season of the Two-Heart is published.
1965: July 15 Lois Duncan marries Donald Wayne Arquette. He adopts Duncan's three children. Years to come they have two children together--Donald Jr. and Kaitlyn.

1966: Ransom (also titled Five Were Missing during its initial paperback release) is published. This book is rejected by her regular publisher because it detoured from Lois Duncan's usual style. Duncan finds another publisher to publish it: Doubleday. This book gives Lois Duncan's first literary triumph--it is runner up for the Edgar Allan Poe Award from the Mystery Writers of America.
1966: Point of Violence is published.
1967: Duncan's fourth child, Donald Wayne Junior, is born.
1969: They Never Came Home and Major André, Brave Enemy are published.

1970: Duncan's fifth and last child, Kaitlyn Clare, is born.
1971: Peggy is published.
1971: Duncan mother dies (date unknown at this time; between 69-71) and she is unable to write mysteries/crime novels so she turns to children books. Hotel for Dogs is published.
1971: Gift of Magic is published. Rejected countless times for its "occult theme". Duncan finally finds a publisher to publish it and it's a success, proving that occult-themed novels can be profitable for children and teens.
1971: Lois Duncan becomes an instructor in department of journalism at University of New Mexico (1971-82). She holds this position for eleven years. Her teaching sparks her desire to persue a degree in English.
1973 I Know What You Did Last Summer and When the Bough Breaks are published.
1974: Down a Dark Hall is published

1976: Summer of Fear is published
1977: Duncan graduates cum laude with a B.A. degree in English from University of New Mexico.
1978: Killing Mr. Griffin is published.
1978: Summer of Fear is made into a TV movie for NBC. It is retitled Stranger in Our House. It stars Linda Blair and is directed by Wes Craven.
1979: Daughters of Eve is published.

1981: Stranger With My Face is published.
1982: From Spring to Spring and Chapter: My Growth as a Writer are published.
1983: The Terrible Tales at Happy Days School is published.
1984: The Third Eye is published.
1985: Locked in Time and Horses of Dreamland are published. A Visit with Lois Duncan is released on videotape by RDA Enterprises.

1987 The Twisted Window is published. Dream Songs From Yesterday is released on audio cassette.
1988 Wonder Kid Meets Evil Lunch Snatcher is published. Our Beautiful Day is released on audio cassette.
1989 Don't Look Behind You and Songs From Dreamland are published. The Story of Christmas is released on audio cassette.
1989 In July, a month after Don't Look Behind You is published, Lois Duncan's youngest child Kaitlyn Arquette is shot in the head. She dies days later from the fatal wounds. The police filea Kait's death as a random shooting but evidence points otherwise. Since then, Lois Duncan still pursues for the truth of what happened to her daughter.

1991: Lois Duncan writes Who Killed My Daughter?. Duncan hopes that somebody who reads the book and has information on Kait's case will come forward.
1991: Lois Duncan receives the the Margaret A. Edwards from the School Library Journal/Young Adult Library Services Association for a body of work.
1992: The Circus Comes Home is published.
1993: Psychics in Action is released on audio cassette.

1995: Psychic Connections is published.
1996: Night Terrors, a collection of short stories edited by Lois Duncan, and Magic of the Spider Wonder are published.
1997: Lois Duncan's first young adult fictional work in eight years is published--Gallows Hill.
1997: Killing Mr. Griffin is made into a NBC TV movie of the week.
1997: I Know What You Did Last Summer is released in theaters. Teens interest in Lois Duncan books soars. Despite the fact that Lois Duncan blatantly hates the movie, it comes a smash hit. The sequel I Still Know What You Did Last Summer is released in theaters year or two later.
1998: Trapped!, a collection of short stories edited by Lois Duncan, is published.
1998: Gallows Hill is turned into movie. Retitled I've Been Waiting For You, it's a NBC TV movie of the week.
1999: Don't Look Behind You is turned into movie. It airs on the Fox-Family Network.
1999: The Longest Hair in the World is published.

2000: I Walk at Night is published.
2000: Lois Duncan along with a friend named Holly with media connections starts a petition for Kait Arquette in order "to try to convince an investigative TV news show like "20/20" or "Investigative Reports" that there is enough public interest in Kait's story to warrant an in-depth coverage."
2000: Lois Duncan announces that there will be a sequel to Who Killed My Daughter?. The sequel is tentative titled The Tally Keeper. The publication date is unknown at this time.
2001: Ransom is made into a movie. Retitled Held For Ransom, this direct to video stars Dennis Hopper.

Notes:
Lois Duncan has contributed over 500 articles, short stories, periodicals for several well-noted magazines. The only ones that are mentioned in the timeline are ones that are significant in the progress of Lois Duncan's writing career.
Lois Duncan has also won several awards through the years. The only ones mentioned in the timeline are ones that are significant in the progress of Lois Duncan's writing career."
ORIGINAL SOURCE: Thompson, Melysa. http://eve7k.com/ophelia