Tracy M Joyce is an Australian author of speculative fiction.  Her debut novel, Altaica: Book I in The Chronicles of Altaica, is published by Odyssey Books.   Readers have compared her writing to Tamora Pierce, Terry Brooks and Cindy Williams Chima. Tracy has long been a fan of the fantasy genre, but particularly likes novels that deal with deep characterisations and that don’t flinch from the gritty realities of life.  Some of her early influences include Stephen Donaldson, David Eddings, Jack Whyte, Robin Hobb, and Stephen Lawhead and Bernard Cornwell. She is fascinated with the notions of “moral greyness”, that “good people can do bad things” and that we cannot escape our past.. Combine that with her love of history, horses and archery and you have Altaica. She grew up on a farm in rural Victoria, in a picturesque dot on the map known as Glenburn.  She spent half of her childhood riding horses and the other half trying to stay out of trouble - the only way she did that was by reading books and writing stories.  She now lives in Melbourne with her husband, two cats a manic puppy and a very patient old greyhound.   Tracy holds a BA (Hons) from Monash University, spent many years in a variety of administrative roles and fortunately never gave up on her childhood dream to become a writer.  In her spare time she tutors a select and unlucky group of students in English.