Ali ArcherAli Archer is the USA Today bestselling author of young adult fantasy and science fiction, including the Desolation series and the Minnie Kim: Vampire girl series. Ali's always loved science fiction and fantasy, as the first book she read were by such greats as Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury, and Lloyd Alexander. But when she discovered Dragonriders of Pern by Anne McCaffrey--which is a perfect blend of fantasy and science fiction--Ali's own imagination was set aflame. At age eleven, she met Anne McCaffrey in one of the single most illuminating moments of her life. When she told the eminent writer she wanted to be an author when she grew up, Ms. McCaffrey said, "Never let anything stand in the way of your dreams." Ali's been following that advice ever since.