Julia Lawrinson hails from the outer suburbs of Perth, and writes for children and young adults. Her first novel, Obsession, won the 2001 WA Premier's Prize for Young Adult Writing. Since then she has published more than ten novels, including Bye, Beautiful, which was shortlisted for both the QLD and WA Premier's Awards and was a 2007 CBC Notable Book and the popular Chess Nuts, which was 2010 CBC Notable Book. Her day jobs have included weighbridge attendant, whopper maker, English lecturer, Sergeant-at-Arms and Usher of the Black Rod. She loves dog beaches, Jack Russells and New York, and is finishing a law degree.