"Grandma, You're Dead" is Sharon O. Tai's first novel. "Grandma" was awarded an Askew's Children's Book Award in 2002. For years, it was one of the books used for reading in Coca-Cola's Valued Youth Program (VYP). VYP's premise is that secondary school students who are identified as being at risk of dropping out tutor elementary school students who are also at risk of dropping out, resulting in increased self-esteem and a decreased likelihood of both dropping out. Sharon has freelanced as a contributing writer for various magazines in the UK and in the US. Sharon has a multicultural background. She was born and raised in the Caribbean island of Jamaica. Her writing is peppered with West Indian culture, food and heritage. She spent 10 years in Japan where she taught English to children and adults. She lived in the UK for three years. She now lives in New York City.