KARLA VON HUBEN, to her lasting astonishment, has somehow wound up in the Pacific Northwest. A Chicago native and long-time resident of Southern California, she has never adjusted to the grey skies and rain—just ask her and she’ll complain endlessly about the weather. On the plus side, her current Squad of Felines are all natives of Washington State, and she’d never have met the furry monsters if she still lived in the Midwest. She’s also a former Marine, motorcycle enthusiast, voracious reader, and steam locomotive addict. Cats and steam engines are a perfect combination, as they’re two of the crankiest things on the planet. She writes because she can’t stop.