Shannon Messenger graduated from the University of Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts, where she discovered, among other things, that she prefers watching movies over making them. She also eats cupcakes for breakfast on a regular basis, sleeps with Ella, a brilliant blue plush elephant, and is occasionally discovered chatting to imaginary persons. It was only natural for her to compose children's stories. Her debut novel, Keeper of the Lost Cities, will be followed by Let the Sky Fall, a young adult novel, in 2013. She and her husband reside in Southern California with an alarming number of cats. Shannon Messenger's website is ShannonMessenger.com.