Soman Chainani is the author of THE SCHOOL FOR GOOD AND EVIL, the first book in the epic fantasy trilogy for Harper Collins that will hit bookstores in Summer 2013. The series will be turned into three films by producer Jane Startz (ELLA ENCHANTED, TUCK EVERLASTING), and Soman will pen the scripts for the films with screenwriter Malia Scotch-Marmo (HOOK, ONCE AROUND).

Soman is a graduate of the MFA Film Program at Columbia University, and the recipient of the school’s top prize, the FMI Fellowship for Writing and Directing. His short films, DAVY & STU and KALI MA, have played over 150 international film festivals, won over 30 jury and audience awards, racked up over 1,000,000 YouTube hits, and secured distribution in over 100 territories. His writing awards include honors from Big Bear Lake, New Draft, the CAPE Foundation, the Sun Valley Writer’s Fellowship, and the coveted Shasha Grant, awarded by a jury of international film executives. He was also nominated for a NewNowNext Award, sponsored by MTV.

Before joining the Columbia University film program, Chainani graduated Harvard University summa cum laude, with a degree in English & American Literature. While at Harvard, he practically created his own Fairy-Tale major in the English department and wrote his thesis on why evil women make such irresistible fairy-tale villains, winning the Thomas Hoopes Prize and Briggs Prize for his work.

His recent projects include the musical MUMBO JUMBO for Aardman Animation, THE PUSHCART WAR for JSP, WEDDING HOUSE, a dramatic series for Tiger Aspect Productions in the UK, and his first feature film, LOVE MARRIAGE, which he will both write and direct.

When he’s not telling stories on the page or on film, Soman is a die-hard tennis player and fan. Competing in tournaments around the world, he never lost a first-round match for ten years…until he started writing THE SCHOOL FOR GOOD & EVIL.

Now he loses all the time.