Nean McKenzie is a children’s writer and optometrist who lives in western Melbourne with her husband and two teenage children. Originally from Bendigo, Nean lived in New Zealand, Europe and North East Africa before returning to Victoria.

Nean has a Diploma in Professional Writing and Editing from RMIT. In 2012 she was shortlisted for a Penguin Varuna Scholarship. In 2016 she was awarded a Maurice Saxby Mentorship for Cryptosight, which is her first published novel.

When not writing or testing people’s eyes, Nean enjoys running and travelling to interesting places around the world. She also likes bush-walking and reading books, especially ones for 8-12 year-olds.