Mary E. Pearson

Mary E. Pearson is a successful American author, best known for her Young Adult (YA) fantasy novels. She has written several popular series, including the Jenna Fox Chronicles and the Remnant Chronicles. Pearson's interest in storytelling and character development can be traced back to her childhood days when she would assume a new character every day. Her mother recalls how she would insist on being addressed by her chosen character's name and remain unresponsive to any other form of address. This fascination with characters led Pearson to create imaginary worlds and stories, which she would immerse herself in.

After earning her BFA in art from Long Beach State University, Pearson worked as an artist before deciding to become a teacher. It was her second-grade students who encouraged her to return to her first love - writing. Today, Pearson lives in San Diego, where she writes full-time. She shares her home with her husband and a few golden retrievers, and her writing space also functions as her office.

Pearson is the recipient of numerous awards for her work, including the Golden Kite for fiction, ALA Best Books, NYPL Best Books, IRA Choice Books, YALSA Teens Top Ten, Arkansas and South Carolina Young Adult Book Awards, and Andre Norton Award Finalist. Her books have been translated into over thirty languages worldwide. Some of her notable works include the completed trilogy, The Remnant Chronicles, which Publisher's Weekly described as "masterfully crafted" in a starred review. Her latest series, Dance of Thieves, allows her to engage in dangerous activities without breaking any bones.

Pearson's childhood was filled with imaginative play and make-believe worlds. She loved climbing tall trees and pretending to be a hero in a fantastical world. She would run along fence tops and roofs, imagining herself to be a spy with an amazing gadget bag. Catching real balls, however, was not her forte. She believes in magic and finds inspiration in people and places. According to one of her characters, "What is magic, but what we don't yet understand?".