Juliet Marillier was born in Dunedin, New Zealand, a town with strong Scottish roots. She graduated from Otago University with a BA in languages and an honours degree in music, and has had a varied career which includes teaching and performing music as well as working in government agencies. Juliet now lives in the Swan Valley area near Perth, Western Australia, where she writes full-time. She is a member of the druid order OBOD and of the Australian Greens Party. Juliet currently shares her home with two dogs and a cat.