American-born author Laura E. Goodin decided at seven years old to be a writer. She grew up in the unexpectedly rural Sussex County, New Jersey, where the relative lack of opportunities was balanced by the benefits of living among deep, dark woods, ancient mountains, clean, rushing rivers, and an abundance of wildlife, all of which fed her young writer's soul. Over the decades, she's worked as a reporter, editor, technical writer, media manager, web-content developer, writing teacher, and freelance writer, but it was only as she entered her 40s that she determined to return to her childhood dream of writing stories that would amaze and entertain. She was transmuted in the crucible of the 2007 Clarion South Workshop, and went on to gain a Ph.D. in creative writing from the University of Western Australia. Her first two novels, After the Bloodwood Staff and Mud and Glass, have been published by Odyssey Books. Her stories have appeared in numerous publications, including Daily Science Fiction, Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine, Review of Australian Fiction, Adbusters, Wet Ink, and The Lifted Brow, among others, and in several anthologies. Her plays and libretti have been performed on three continents, and her poetry has been performed internationally, both as spoken word and as texts for new musical compositions. She currently teaches writing at various tertiary institutions. She lives in Melbourne, Victoria, and spends what little spare time she has in trying to be as much like Xena, Warrior Princess as possible. (This includes horseback riding, fencing, martial arts, camping, and picking up useful skills of all kinds wherever possible.) She is also an enthusiastic bellringer at St. James Old Cathedral. For information about editing services, click here.