Rea Malhotra Mukhtyar

Rea shares a love-hate relationship with blank sheets of paper. She spends a lot of time just staring at them, but nothing brings her more joy than using such sheets to write stories that are stupendously silly, and sometimes, a little bit clever. Born and brought up in Bombay, with a voracious appetite for company, Rea adores books and food in equal measure. She also has a twin brother, but luckily for him, he can't be consumed. Like most grown-ups, she juggles many responsibilities, such as being an English and Drama teacher, a freelance writer, actor and voice-over artist. This is her first book, and a tiny piece of her heart. Handle both with care.

As a little girl, Shahena used to doodle in books. As a big girl, not much has changed, except these days she doesn't get into trouble for it. Having graduated with a BFA in Illustration, she now runs Zacara, a studio that creates graphic design, customised illustrations and stationery. She draws inspiration from the kookiest of places, be it under the sea, or over a petri dish. In her spare time, you can find her putting her boundless energy to good use on the tennis court-it's the only time the colour pencils have been left at home.