William Taylor is the author of over thirty novels. He's won many awards, among them the Esther Glen Medal, the Aim Children's Book Award, and the Italian Premio Andersen Award for best book of the year. He's held several fellowships and his recent title, Scarface and the Angel, was one of three New Zealand titles selected by The White Ravens 2001 for the National Youth Library in Munich. He lives near Mt Ruapehu. Currently, William Taylor is the President of the New Zealand Society of Authors.