Julia Donner (M.L.Rigdon) grew up in historic Galena, IL, and spent most of her time in the museum of her aunt, who encouraged her interest in history and understood the need to cherish a dream. She started writing in her teens and never stopped, merging it with her mother's encouragement to study theatre and music, which led to performing in the Midwest, California, and as far away as Austria. Her favorite genre is fantasy, but since she loves reading everything, Donner, as M.L.Rigdon, also writes contemporary, romance, and YA fantasy.