Jo Riccioni is a novelist and short story writer. Her latest novel, The Rising, is the explosive conclusion to her duology that started with The Branded. The series is a young adult epic fantasy adventure which has caused a buzz among readers and the publishing industry. Jo's first novel, The Italians at Cleat's Corner Store won the International Rubery Award for fiction and was shortlisted for the New Angle Prize in the UK, while her short stories have won competitions around the world and been optioned for short film.
As well as being a novelist, Jo has been a manuscript assessor and creative writing teacher for more than eight years. She has also taught high school English and day-workshops in creative writing for schools around Sydney.