John Peyton Cooke was born in Amarillo, Texas, in 1967, and grew up in Laramie, Wyoming. His other novels include STINK LAKE, TORSOS, THE CHIMNEY SWEEPER, HAVEN, THE RAPE OF GANYMEDE, and THE FALL OF LUCIFER. His short fiction has been published in several magazines and anthologies, including Christopher Street, The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, DARK LOVE, STRANGER, and BEST AMERICAN MYSTERY STORIES 2003, and is collected in AFTER YOU'VE GONE AND OTHER OUTRE TALES. John currently lives in London with his husband.