E. J. Beaton is the author of the fantasy novel The Councillor, out now from DAW Books. She has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize for Poetry. Her previous work includes a poetry collection, Unbroken Circle (Melbourne Poets Union), and she has been shortlisted for several prizes including the ACU Prize for Poetry. She studied literature and writing at university, and her PhD thesis included analysis of Machiavellian politics in Shakespearean drama and fantasy literature. She lives in Melbourne, Australia.