Justin D'Ath was born in New Zealand but moved to Australia in 1971 to study for the missionary priesthood. After three years in a seminary he absconded in the dead of night and spent the next two years roaming Australia on a motorbike and writing articles and cartoons for various magazines. After trying his hand at building cars, picking fruit, rounding up cattle, iron mining and teaching, Justin became a full time writer in 1989 when he wrote his first novel, The Initiate (Collins). Since then he's written 14 novels, mostly for children and teenagers, and most with a twisted science or fantasy bent. He has two grown-up children and two grandchildren.

Biography provided by the author, July 2003.