Dell graduated from West Virginia University with a degree in journalism. She worked as a journalist on a newspaper and also taught second and seventh grade classes. After her brother was killed in Vietnam, she went there as a civilian with the USO. After working there for two years she went to Europe for a year as publicity director for the USO in Frankfurt and two years as a freelance writer and photographer in Athens and Madrid. After owning an advertising agency in Massachusetts for 10 years, she taught Vietnam War history and journalism classes at Tampa College. She divides her time between Boston and Clearwater, Florida.