Jess Mountifield, also known as Talia Beckett, was born in the quaint village of Woodbridge in the United Kingdom. She has spent some of her childhood in the States before settling near the beautiful Roman city of Bath. Initially writing under the penname Marie Woodell, Jess has published works that include a choose-your-own-adventure story centered around a romance between two in-game characters in massively multiplayer online games, reflecting her interest in gaming and fan fiction.
In her personal life, Jess is married to Phil and shares her home with a dapsy cat named Pleaides. Recently, she has become a mother to two tiny humans, a boy and a girl, and lives with her partner and best friend. Her curious nature has led her to study various subjects, from maths and sciences to history and drama, all of which have found their way into her writing as she works full-time as an author and mother.
Apart from writing, Jess runs Flight Productions, a film production company, alongside a fellow writer. Her role in the company involves managing script writing and contributing to various projects such as a science fiction twitter project, a television fantasy drama, and a feature film. Additionally, she has a clothing company where she produces her own original designs in a gothic style. When she's not busy with work or family, Jess can be found with friends, engaged in tabletop role-playing games, using miniature characters, dice, and notes about fictional adventures.
Jess is currently transitioning into using the name Talia Beckett for her publications, with plans to transfer all her books under her new name over time. She continues to expand her horizons as a writer and entrepreneur, incorporating her diverse interests and passions into her work.