Malaika Rose Stanley grew up in Birmingham. She has worked as a teacher in Zambia, Uganda, Germany, Switzerland and Britain. She is now a full-time writer and the Royal Literary Fund Fellow at the London College of Fashion. She also runs creativity and writing workshops for children and adults. Her publications include Dance Dreams and Spike in Space. Malaika enjoys travel, singing, reading, ballet and football. She lives in North London near her grown-up sons.