I was born in Berkeley, California, and grew up surrounded by professors, witches, hippies, cats, artists, psychiatrists, and musicians. I started reading books almost before I could walk.

As a fiction writer, I’m inspired by authors who explore the dark, mysterious, and adventurous. I love the work of Arthur Conan Doyle, Joan Aiken, Chris Priestley, and M.R. James, among many others. In my nonfiction for young readers, I aim to combine first-rate scholarship with fun. I hold a graduate degree in history from St. Andrews University in Scotland.