Shani Cossins started writing stories from an early age, the first was about a magic ball that gave a little girl powers of travelling to enchanted lands. Her enthusiasm for storytelling quickly found an outlet in The Puffin Club, where she submitted a time-travel story that was published in the 1985 edition of Puffinalia; the protagonists of these stories were very much like its author! During her school years, Shani wrote and produced plays, which sparked a lasting love for the performing arts. This creative path led her to a role in a documentary on tv and voice-over work for business training and amateur television as an adult. Shani later attended Swinburne University, where she earned a Diploma of Business, all while continuing to write short stories published in various science fiction fan magazines. Her dedication to writing culminated in the release of her novella, The Master of Bentley Hall, a captivating piece of historical fiction told through the diary of a servant in a grand estate. While developing her debut novel, A Game of Masquerade, over several years, she also contributed a chapter to Boundaries, a fan-fiction novel based on the American gothic horror series Dark Shadows. This project gave her the opportunity to connect with fellow fans and share in a vibrant creative community. A Game of Masquerade won the Literary Titan Award in 2025, and Shani continues to write while working full-time in the music and performing arts department of a school, where she enjoys fostering creativity and supporting students’ growth each day.