Victoria Hanley spent years preparing for a writing career by holding as many contrasting jobs as possible, from baking bread to teaching anatomy and hosting radio shows. She's traveled throughout the continental U.S. by car, plane, bus, train, and bicycle, and blames the influence of restless pioneer ancestors for the fact that she's lived in forty places in six States from the West to the East Coast. After observing and interacting with all sorts of characters during the course of her travels and jobs, Victoria decided to use her imagination to write fantasy. She is now the author of young adult fiction published in 10 languages; her novels have won honors and awards at home and abroad.