Rosemary Hayes lives and works in Cambridgeshire. She has written numerous books for children including historical and contemporary fiction and fantasy - many of which have been shortlisted for awards. She is also a reader for an authors' advisory service and enjoys helping unpublished writers to hone their skills. Rosemary lived in Australia for six years, and her first children's novel Race Against Time , set in Australia, was runner-up for the Kathleen Fidler Award. Rosemary's first Frances Lincoln book, Mixing It, about the relationship between a Muslim girl and a non Muslim boy against a background of terrorism, was shortlisted for the South Lanarkshire Book Award. Her next book, Payback, is based on the actual experiences of a young Muslim woman who was brave enough to defy her family and reject the husband chosen for her.