Laura Rhoton McNeal was born in Arizona and raised near Air Force bases in Iceland, New Mexico, South Carolina, and Utah. She holds an MA in fiction writing from Syracuse University and taught middle and high school English in Salt Lake City. The McNeals are the prize-winning authors of short stories, essays, and seven novels, including five for young adults. Their critically-acclaimed young adult novels include The Decoding of Lana Morris, Crushed, Zipped, and Crooked. Dark Water, Laura's first solo title, was released on September 14, 2010. The McNeals were married in Scotland in 1993 and now live in southern California. They still visit the Nebraska farm whenever possible.