"Colleen Nelson earned her Bachelor of Education from the University of Manitoba in her hometown of Winnipeg. Her previous novels include Sadia, winner of the Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Award, Blood Brothers, selected as the 2018 McNally Robinson Book of the Year for Young People, and Pulse Point, selected as one of the CBC’s Most Anticipated YA Books of 2018. Colleen writes daily in between appearances at hockey rinks and soccer fields in support of her two sports-loving sons."

"Nelson masterfully explores the ways in which boys cope with tragedy and grief . . . The novel is perfectly paced, and the seriousness of the issues such as abuse, bullying, and alcoholism are offset by lighter action scenes describing Ben's skateboarding tricks. Covering ground seldom seen in YA literature, this novel is one that will generate discussion and is a necessary addition to any high school classroom shelf." - Recommended Book, Canadian Children's Book News

"The theme of how grief is handled by men and boys permeates this novel and makes it a must-read for teachers and older teens, both boys and girls." - Highly recommended, CM Magazine

"The Fall possesses an admirable grittiness."- Feature Review, Quill & Quire

"[Colleen Nelson] has a sharp ear for authentic dialogue . . . The dragons Ben faces are gangs, drugs and alcohol, but they are just as real and much more menacing than medieval monsters. Teens will relate to many things in this novel." - Winnipeg Free Press

"[Colleen Nelson's] practice listening to kids is evident in the book's pages, where the teens' exchanges with adults as well as their peers ring true" - CBC Manitoba Scene