Daniel O'Malley was born and raised in Canberra, Australia. He graduated from Michigan State University and earned a Master's Degree in medieval history from Ohio State University. He then returned to his childhood home, where he now works full‑time as a writer. He is the author of the Checquy novels The Rook, Stiletto, Blitz and Royal Gambit. The Rook won an Aurealis Award for Best Science Fiction Novel and became a television miniseries.