I am a psychiatrist with over a decade of clinical experience and was formerly Deputy Head of a major psychiatric unit in Australia. I wrote this novel out of a fascination with the dynamics that unfold in the consulting room, such as the subtle playfulness, the testing of boundaries and tension between patient and therapist. I have always been interested in the masks we wear, and the ways in which identity can be tested in intimate psychological spaces. My clinical work has given me a deep appreciation for the complexity of human behavior, which I wanted to explore through fiction.

When I’m not working or writing, I’m raising two young sons and a pair of Burmese cats. I paint whenever I can, primarily to give my friends and family a break from being analyzed.