H.L. Rankin lives in Houston, Texas, USA with four cats and a dog. She is actively involved in animal rescue activities, on behalf of which she has appeared on state and national news media and on the Internet. Over the last 30 years, she has written extensively on feral cat management as well as writing science fiction. Amongst her other interests is an active participation in medieval re-enactment. She has also appeared in the award-winning documentary One Hundred Thousand Hearts.

Ms Rankin is currently finishing the next Chaya story (Chaya and the Eye of Amra), which will be published early in 2012, while a third has been planned. She is donating part of the proceeds of the books to animal rescue charities.

The cat shown with Ms Rankin in the photograph is the original Tommeran Wanderpaws.