Alan J Whiticker was born in Sydney, Australia, in 1958 and attended St Dominic's College in Penrith. Since 1986 he has pursued the dual roles of teacher and freelance writer. In 1997 he completed his Masters Degree in Education. Alan has also been a teacher for 25 years, and is currently the Assistant Principal of a Western Sydney Catholic Primary School. He lives in Penrith with his wife, Karen, and children, Timothy and Melanie. Previous books include The Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players (1993, 1995, 1999, 2002 and 2005, with Glen Hudson), Jimmy Barnes: Say it Loud (2002), Wanda: The Untold Story of the Wanda Beach Murders (2003), A History of Rugby League Clubs (with Ian Collis), and his first children's book The Battle for Troy - An Adaptation of Homer's Iliad (2004). His latest book, 12 Crimes That Shocked Australia, was released in 2005.