Gail Carriger is an American archaeologist and author known for her steampunk fiction. Born on May 4, 1976, in Bolinas, California, she developed a passion for writing and history early on. Carriger attended high school at Marin Academy, earned her undergraduate degree from Oberlin College, and received a master's degree in archaeological materials from England's University of Nottingham in 2000. She further pursued her academic interests by obtaining a Master of Arts in Anthropology (with a focus on archaeology) from the University of California Santa Cruz in 2008.

Gail Carriger is renowned for writing comedies of manners blended with paranormal romance, including popular series such as the Parasol Protectorate and the Finishing School. She also writes the sexy San Andreas Shifter series under the name G. L. Carriger. Her works have been translated into multiple languages and have consistently appeared on the New York Times bestseller list. Further reflecting her varied interests, Carriger is famously fond of shoes, octopuses, and tea.