Sarah Jane Butler lives in Sussex, where she enjoys growing vegetables, cycling, swimming in rivers and learning about local wildlife. Her short stories and poems (some published under the name SJ Butler) have appeared in literary journals and anthologies, and her story 'The Swimmer' was included in Best British Short Stories 2011. She has twice won the 26 Project Writer's Award, most recently in 2021 for her poem 'Flow'. As well as writing fiction, she is a professional copywriter and communications consultant. Starling is her debut novel.