Alison Lloyd is an Australian children's writer. Alison likes writing about stirring subjects in historical settings. But sometimes she is inspired by quirky things like funny spelling, and the things kids say.

Alison speaks and reads Chinese. She studied in China for two years - she was living there when army tanks rolled onto the city streets, to put down the student movement in 1989.

Before she wrote this book, Alison worked for the Australian Government, in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. But she is sworn to secrecy, under the Official Secrets Act, not to tell everything that went on then...

Alison now lives in Melbourne with two kids, two grandparents and two chickens, but only one husband.

Likes:

• reading (of course)
• the bush, the beach, mountains
• walking and cycling
• cakes
• making things
• church

Dislikes:

• movies with a weak plot
• live snakes (they taste alright cooked)
• pig's liver (which tastes awful)

Why do I write?

All of us love stories. I love telling stories. Stories have meanings and I think we all want those too.

I once read that our lives are like an embroidery, or inside out clothes. We only get to see the back side, with all the knots and joins and messy sewing. But God sees the whole picture - the good side.

I like that. When I tell a story, I think I am showing part of the whole picture - the meaning of life.

The meaning that I hope readers will see in Year of the Tiger is this: every person is precious and important, whether they are Chinese or Australian, rich or poor.

Wicked Warriors and Evil Emperors is about power: people want it; they like it; but how should they use it? The First Emperor is ancient history, but there are still governments in the world today who use brutal methods to control their countries.

Letty is a girl who tries very hard to please other people. She often feels she isn't pretty enough, or old enough, or capable enough, to be loved the way she wants. Fortunately, she is wrong about that...