Alan Duff was born in Rotorua in 1950. He has written novels, including Once Were Warriors, One Night Out Stealing, What Becomes of the Broken Hearted?, Both Sides of the Moon, Szabad, Jake's Long Shadow, Dreamboat Dad and Who Sings for Lu?, a novella (State Ward), several children's books and a number of non-fiction works. Once Were Warriors won the Pen Best First Book of Fiction Award and, as well as What Becomes of the Broken Hearted?, was made into an internationally acclaimed film. Duff was the driving force behind the Books in Homes scheme, which, with commercial sponsorship and government support, aims to break the cycle of illiteracy, poverty, anger and violence among underprivileged children by providing books for them to own.