I was born in Melbourne but grew up in various green and grassy parts of Victoria. I moved back to Melbourne for uni and have stayed here ever since, part from a brief sojourn in London. My life, apart from the day job, revolves around books, writing, painting, cooking, taking pictures, trying not to spend too much money on books, makeup, stationery, handbags and taking orders from my feline overlords.

My two great reading loves have always been fantasy and romance. I grew up reading Tolkien alongside L.M. Montgomery and Susan Cooper. Diana Wynne Jones and David Eddings mixed with Jane Austen and all the romances I could find. So I guess it’s inevitable that I wound up writing book in both genres.

I write dark fantasy and urban fantasy as M.J. Scott and contemporary romance as Melanie Scott and Emma Douglas. I mostly answer to Mel. For more news about my books, including FAQs, excerpts and to sign up for my newsletters, please visit M.J.’s site or Emma or Melanie’s sites.