Cidney Swanson writes unforgettable contemporary characters who are genuinely shocked to find themselves thrown into perilous or Sci-Fi situations. Well, except for the heroine from Mars. Come on. How shocked could a Mars colonist be to find herself in Sci-Fi peril? After they (okay, *most of them*) get over their shock, they start kicking butt and taking names, and usually do some kissing along the way. Cidney’s complex plotting and stick-with-you characters have resulted in a few nice awards, including a Kirkus Reviews annual Best of Young Adult/Teen and an SCBWI Spark Honor Book. When she’s not placing her characters in peril, Cidney can be found asking her husband, cats, kids, and anyone else who will listen why it rains so much in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. If you want to know when her next book comes out, visit http://cidneyswanson.com where you can sign up to be notified automatically about new releases, free reads, and even cat pics, if you choose.