In Four and Twenty Blackbirds, Cherie Priest had a strong start. She's also the author of Nor Flesh Nor Feathers, the sequel to Wings to the Kingdom, Fathom, Dreadnought, and Boneshaker, a near-contemporary fantasy that was nominated for a Nebula and Hugo Award, won the Locus Award for best science-fiction novel, and was chosen Steampunk Novel of the Year by steampunk.com. Priest, who was born in Tampa, Florida, received her master's degree in rhetoric from the University of Tennessee. She and her husband, Aric, live in Seattle, Washington, with their huge black cat, Spain.