Mitchell Hogan is a successful author of fantasy novels, who first discovered his passion for the genre at the age of eleven when he read The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. These books had a profound impact on Hogan, inspiring a love of fantasy novels that would stay with him for the next ten years as he devoted his time to reading, playing computer games, and rolling dice. Despite his early interest in writing, Hogan's first attempt at creating a fantasy novel was unsuccessful, and he abandoned the project after just one page. However, ideas for characters and scenes continued to come to him, and he kept detailed notes of his thoughts, just in case he might have the opportunity to write a novel in the future.
Hailing from Sydney, Australia, Mitchell Hogan is a chemical engineering graduate who worked in a bank and a pharmaceutical company before becoming a full-time writer. His love of fantasy and science fiction novels led him to accumulate numerous bookcases worth of books over the years, and he continues to expand his collection. After putting off his dream of writing for a decade, Hogan finally decided to quit his job and live off his savings and the support of his fiancé to finish the first draft of A Crucible of Souls. His determination and hard work paid off, as the novel went on to win the 2013 Aurealis Award for Best Fantasy Novel. Hogan is now a successful full-time writer, living in Sydney with his wife, Angela, and daughters, Isabelle and Charlotte. He is eternally grateful to the readers who took a chance on an unknown author and continues to engage with his fans through his writing.