Ally Shields was born and raised in the US Midwest, along the Mississippi River, and considers herself a "river rat." The area and its rich folklore provide the background for her urban fantasy novels. After a career in law and juvenile justice, she writes full time and lives near Des Moines, Iowa, with her Siamese cat, Latte, and a Min Pin puppy, Pippin. If not writing, reading, or visiting family, she is probably traveling and often includes those locations in her stories. Ally belongs to Sisters-in-Crime, MFRW, and several online writers' groups. She also writes Regency mysteries under the name of J. L. Buck (http://janetlbuck.com). She is active on social media and can often be found on Twitter (@ShieldsAlly; @janetlbuck) when she should be writing! To learn more about her fantasy books or what she is blogging, visit her website: http://allyshields.com or Facebook page: http://facebook.com/AllyShieldsAuthor.