'I've always been fascinated by the idea of other-worldly creatures who look human but aren't; angels, demons, elves, vampires, demi-gods and so on. My Aetherials (or Aelyr) evolved as my own interpretation of such a race.'

Freda Warrington started writing when she was five, almost as soon as she could hold a pen. A major source of inspiration was the Charnwood Forest area of Leicestershire where she grew up. Its ancient landscapes made the idea of 'going through a door into a different world' seem a reality, and she was soon captivated by CS Lewis, Tolkien, Tanith Lee and other great fantasy writers.

Born in Leicester, she’s spent most of her life so far in the Midlands, studying at art college and then working in medical illustration and graphics for a number of years. Her first love was always fantasy fiction, and in 1986 her first novel A Blackbird in Silver was published. This began an epic sword-&-sorcery series now re-published by Immanion Press as A Blackbird in Silver Darkness and A Blackbird in Amber Twilight.

More novels followed, including A Taste of Blood Wine (sensual vampire series),The Amber Citadel (epic fantasy), Dark Cathedral (contemporary supernatural) and Dracula the Undead, a sequel to Dracula that won the Dracula Society’s ‘Best Gothic Novel of the Year’ Award in 1997. She has explored the story of the fascinating and controversial King Richard III in The Court of the Midnight King, an alternative-world fantasy version of history. Dracula the Undead has just been re-issued in hardback by Severn House.

Her latest novel is Elfland,the first of a new ‘Aetherial Tales’ series for Tor US; a contemporary novel where the unearthly race of Aelyr try to rub along in the modern world. In Elfland, Rosie Fox, trying to turn her back on her Aetherial roots and live as a ‘good human’, makes a mistake that leads to tragedy… The second book, Midsummer Night, is nearly finished and Freda is now at work on a third, at the same time planning a new Blackbird novel – when she finds time for it! She’s also had a number of short stories published, such as And Their Blood Will Be Prescient to Fire in Myth-Understandings (ed. Ian Whates).

She lives in Leicestershire with her husband Mike and her mum, where she also enjoys crafts such as stained glass and beadwork, all things Gothic, yoga, walking, Arabian horses, conventions and travel.

You can find her website at www.fredawarrington.com

Freda Warrington is published by Tor in the US, Severn House and Immanion Press in the UK.