Elizabeth Laird was born in New Zealand and is the author of over twenty books, including picture books and books for older children. She has travelled extensively throughout the Middle East and her son lived for four years in Iran. She met her husband while travelling in India and they lived together in Iraq, Lebanon and Austria.

Her books include Red Sky in the Morning, The Garbage King, Crusade, Lost Riders and A Fistful of Pearls: Stories from Iraq . Elizabeth divides her time between London and Edinburgh.