ALISON BAIRD has been making up stories for as long as she can remember, and had her first poems published when she was only 12. She is the author of the Willowmere Chronicles and Dragon Throne series, as well as the acclaimed novels The Hidden World, The Wolves of Woden, and White as the Waves, which was shortlisted for the IODE Violet Downey Award. Alison lives in Oakville, Ontario. Her website is www.alisonbaird.net.