Born and educated in Scotland, Liz Cochrane became head teacher of a remote school in the Highlands. Writing about life and blizzards in the Highlands, she is drawing on her own experience. She took early retirement, moved to the south of Spain, and studied Spanish language, art, history, and culture. She now lectures on art history in two languages. She says, “I think of myself as a Scottish Spaniard. Scottish comes first. I care deeply for my native land, and I think that comes out in The Dark Pool.”