Marlene Perez is the best-selling author of paranormal and urban fantasy books for kids, notably the Dead is series. Death is the New Black, the first book in the series, was selected an ALA Quick Choice for Reluctant Young Adult Readers and an ALA Popular Paperback. VOYA's 2011 Best Science Fiction, Horror, and Fantasy List included Death is Only a Rumor. Her volumes have been featured in Girl's Life, Seventeen, and Cosmopolitan, and the first three books in the Dead is series have been optioned by Disney Television. She is the youngest of twelve children and grew up in Story City, Iowa.

Her spouse and children live in Orange County, California. Visit Marlene's website at www.marleneperez.com or the Welcome to Nightshade Facebook Community Page at http: //www.facebook.com/#!/!/!/!/!/!/!/!/!/!/!/!/!/!/!/!/!/!/!/!/!/!