Amber Keyser has been, at various times, a ballet dancer, a model, an art restoration apprentice, a cake cutter, a newspaper delivery girl, and a biologist.  Currently, she is a freelance writer and lives in Portland, Oregon, with her husband and two kids. 

She grew up reading and re-reading The Chronicles of Narnia and The Lord of the Rings.  She even managed to convince her 8^th grade English teacher, Mrs. Wolf, that she had a two-track mind, which enabled her to read and listen at the same time.  She hung with an “artsy” crowd in high school and never considered being a scientist even though she loved camping, hiking, canoeing and being in the woods. 

In 1994, Amber found herself snorkeling for tagged conches with a field biologist named Luis.  Waves slopped over her head as she treaded water, held a conch, and got a lecture in Spanish about mollusk reproduction.  That sealed the deal.  She wanted a job in science!

Amber has a master's degree in zoology and a Ph.D. in genetics.  Her research focused on evolutionary and conservation biology.

Research science had its pleasures, but it also seriously cut into family time.  Amber left the Ivory Tower and decided to express her love for the natural world in a different way.  Never one to take a straight path when there is a twisty one heading into the forest, Amber is somewhat surprised, but completely delighted, to be writing for children.