Amelia Atwater-Rhodes is an accomplished American author, born in Silver Spring, Maryland in 1984. She grew up in Concord, Massachusetts, where she attended the Concord-Carlisle public school from kindergarten until her graduation in 2001. Her parents were fans of the horror writer Anne Rice, which sparked Amelia's interest in the genre at an early age. During her school years, she discovered a love for music, particularly singing, although she never participated in high school plays. However, she was actively involved in the drama community and was a member of her high school's fencing team, an experience that has influenced many of her urban fantasy storylines.
Amelia currently resides in Massachusetts with her family and several pets. She is pursuing a degree in psychology and English at the University of Massachusetts, with aspirations of working in special education or as an English teacher. In addition to her writing, Amelia has a variety of eclectic hobbies, including driving, riding Harley-Davidsons, carpentry, gardening, playing the piano, aquarium keeping, cooking, cross-stitching, and engaging in debates. She enjoys learning new skills in her free time and can often be found reading books, watching videos, or exploring websites to acquire new knowledge, from belly dancing to JavaScript.
Amelia began her writing career at the age of 13, when she wrote her first novel, In the Forests of the Night. The book was the first in the Den of Shadows series, which also includes Demon in My View, Shattered Mirror, and Midnight Predator, all of which were selected as ALA Quick Picks for Young Adults. She has also published the five-volume series The Kiesha'ra, consisting of Hawksong, Snakecharm, Falcondance, Wolfcry, and Wyvernhail. Amelia's work has been well-received, with Hawksong being named a School Library Journal Best Book of the Year and a VOYA Best Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror List Selection.