Kate Constable was born in Victoria but spent much of her childhood in Papua New Guinea, without television but within reach of a library where she 'inhaled' stories. She studied Arts/Law at Melbourne University before working part-time for a record company while she began her life as a writer. She has had stories published in Meanjin, Island and other literary magazines. The Singer of All Songs, The Waterless Sea and The Tenth Power form the Chanters of Tremaris series and were her first books, published by Allen & Unwin with very successful overseas sales, followed by a stand-alone novel set in the same world, The Taste of Lightning as welll as Cicada Summer. Kate lives in Melbourne with her husband and two daughters.