Sherryl Jordan was born in New Zealand in 1949, and at the age of four created her first book. Her early years were rich with imagined worlds, with reading books, writing stories, and with drawing pictures. But although as an adult she wrote over 30 picture book stories and 12 novels, for many years her written work remained unpublished. She became an illustrator, though all the time hoped that one day she would illustrate her own stories. In 1988 she began what she decided would be her final attempt at writing a publishable novel, and created Rocco, published in the US under the title A Time of Darkness. This 13th novel became her first published book, and won a major award in New Zealand.

Since then Sherryl has written many novels for young adults, most of which have been published world-wide. For many years she traveled to all parts of New Zealand to speak at schools about her work, and has spoken at many seminars and conferences, and given numerous workshops on the writing craft. In 1993 she was awarded a writing fellowship in the US, and took part in the International Writing Program at the University of Iowa. In 2001 she was given the Children's Literature Foundation of New Zealand's Margaret Mahy Medal and Lecture Award, for making a significant contribution to children's literature, publishing and literacy.

Sherryl lives in Tauranga, New Zealand, in a little silver-timbered cottage not far from the sea.

Avala's father, Gabriel (the hero of Sherryl Jordan's SECRET SACRAMENT), was the great Deliverer, the giver of freedom, the hero who began the prophesied Time of the Eagle. However, this freedom has not been easy, and the Shinali tribe have found the nomadic way of life very hard. Many times they have accidentally trespassed on the lands of the Igaal or the Hena, their former enemies, and have been driven violently away, making unification seem a long way off.

Avala's relationship with a wonded Igaal hunter leads to her acceptance within the Igaal tribe, where her healing gifts and visions make her indispensable. But simply helping one injured Igaal hunter is not enough to meld the two peoples. And in her absence from her own people, a rival priest has arisen, claiming that the Time of the Eagle has come and that they must fight rather than unify with the Igaal.

Can Avala reverse her tribe's decision, and finally make peace between the nations?