Dr Sven Scheppokat is a scientist – but please don’t hold that against him. He started his career as a Morse code radio operator in the German navy, before becoming a mineralogist, before becoming a materials scientist, before falling in love with basalt. Sampling and analysing rocks, he is lucky enough to get to use both a sledgehammer and a microscope in his daily work - although usually not at the same time. Sven is named as an inventor on a number of patents, including one for a new kind of bicycle lock. He spends his days scouring the beautiful state of Victoria in search of the perfect rock, and while he’s at it he dreams up hair-raising adventures for Annabelle and Jim (as well as ways to drive his family round the twist). In 2012, Sven was surprised but delighted to win the adult-entry Monash Wordfest Short Story Competition. Sven lives in Melbourne with his family and one dog, two cats and three rabbits.