Phil Cantrill grew up on a farm near Orange, New South Wales. He has been an avid eclectic reader since he was old enough to hold a picture book.After graduating from High School, Phil worked for the government while studying law at night but says his most interesting and rewarding lessons have been in the university of life.Following admission as a barrister he practiced law in various parts of Australia and in Hong Kong, enjoying the opportunities provided by both legal practice and travel. Most of all he enjoyed meeting and understanding new people, seeing and learning from beliefs and cultures very different from his own. Some of the interesting scenes and characters he encountered provide source material for his stories.His hobbies include being a gliding instructor and a scuba diver. Phil believes that seeing the world from these two very different perspectives has helped him better understand it, while more fully appreciating its beauty and fragility.Later in life, Phil decided to leave his legal practice to satisfy a desire to write fantasy. "Imperial Hostage" is his first published novel, but he hopes there are more where this came from.His family includes five children, all of who are now adults. Phil lives on the Sunshine Coast of Queensland with his wife and poodle while working on his next novel.