Vale Aida is the author of the Magpie Ballads, a historical fantasy series about a scheming con artist and the brooding arch-nemesis with whom he may or may not be in love. Strange places she has written from include a haunted psychology lab, the back of a university classroom, an examining table (the curtain was drawn), and a thumbnail-sized window on the office computer. She lives in Singapore with a stuffed whale and fewer cats than is optimal. Get the latest updates from Vale at http://valeaida.tumblr.com.