Cally Black's first young adult novel won the Ampersand Prize. It wasn't the first novel she'd written, and it wasn't the first draft that made it through to the printers. She's been working on writing for a long time. Cally Black's universe is filled with stories from her childhood on hill country sheep stations to youthful backpacking adventures to more recent motorbike rides across the USA, but it's stories set in future worlds that fascinate her most. And while she loves science and technology and the way they shape our future, what really grabs her attention is the people, especially those left on the fringes of society. Cally works in education and lives in Melbourne with her family and a slightly nutty dog. Cally has also been shortlisted for a number of awards: WINNER of the Aurealis Award – Best Young Adult Novel CBCA Book of the Year for Older Readers Shortlist Ethel Turner Prize for Young People’s Literature Shortlist - (in the NSW Premier's Literary Awards) Gold Inky Award Longlist Victorian Premier's Literary Awards, Young Adult – Highly Commended Australian Book Design Awards Longlist Copyright Licensing NZ Award for Young Adult Fiction in the New Zealand Book Awards shortlist Ditmar Award Shortlist