ALLISON RUSHBY, having failed to become a ballerina with pierced ears (her childhood dream), tried writing instead. This has worked out much better for her, since it means she gets to write off her book and DVD purchases at tax time and eat a lot more than a ballerina ever could. She is the author of four teen novels and five adult novels, all published by Random House in Allison's native Australia. She Twitters regularly and blogs at www.AllisonRushby.com. Oh, and she got the pierced ears in the end.