Libby Ashworth was born and raised in Lancashire, where she can trace her family back to the Middle Ages. It was while researching her family history that she realised there were so many stories about ordinary working people that she wanted to tell. She has previously written historical novels - The de Lacy Inheritance and By Loyalty Bound - as well as local history books. The Cotton Spinner is her first saga novel. Libby currently lives in Lancashire with her son and two cats, Ralph and Rufus, who look so alike that people believe she only has one.