Cinda Williams Chima began writing romance novels in middle school, which were frequently confiscated by her English teacher. She is the author of the New York Times bestselling Heir series of young adult fantasy novels. A graduate of the University of Akron and Case Western Reserve University, Cinda has been a freelance writer and columnist for the Plain Dealer and other publications. Cinda has a marginal knowledge of popular culture, but she has never forgotten what it was like to be a teen. She lives in Ohio with her husband and two sons. Her new fantasy series, The Demon King, released in Autumn 2009.