Julie Scott is the driving force behind Manticore Press. Her two passions are science and books. Julie initially trained as a scientist. After completing a BSc at the University of Auckland, she spent a year in Australia at the Australian National University in Canberra. Here she developed an interest in vision research and went on to study vision science at the University of California at Berkeley, obtaining her Ph.D. in 1998.

However on returning to New Zealand to raise a family, she decided to further develop her lifelong interest in writing. She has since completed a Masters in Creative Writing at AUT and attended courses with several well-known writers, such as Margaret Mahy, David Hill and John Marsden.

She has been published in the New Zealand School Journal and in 2010 was short-listed for the Tom Fitzgibbon Award. Julie is a member of the New Zealand Society of Authors, the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators and Kiwi Write4Kidz.

Milly and the Chitten, the first book in her Chitten Adventures Series, was originally published in 2011. This was followed in 2012 by the second in the series, Chittens in Trouble. Both books are now being republished by Manticore Press. The third Chitten Adventure, Chittens to the Rescue, is due out in early 2014. Julie is currently working on a series of scientific mysteries for adults.