Deryn Pittar writes and is published in sci-fi, fantasy, futuristic and contemporary romance, loves writing short and flash fiction, and is an occasional poet. She belongs to Spec.Fic.NZ, and the Romance Writers of N.Z. She reads and critiques for fellow authors and listens to their advice in return. In 2020 she gained fourth equal place with her sestina ‘Australia’ in the Frank DiBase International Poetry contest. Her dragon novel Lutapolii – White Dragon of the South is a prize-winning fantasy, winning a Sir Julius Vogel Award at Geysercon in 2019 for Best Young Adult published in 2018.