Julia Skinner, PhD is an award-winning food writer and culinary business owner, writing coach, fermentation and culinary educator, and food historian. Her book, Our Fermented Lives , won a silver Nautilus Award and earned her the title of Finalist for both Georgia Author of the Year and the IACP Cookbook Awards. Her latest book, The Fermentation Oracle , was a gold Nautilus Award winner and a nominee for Georgia Author of the Year. Skinner is the owner of Root, a fermentation and food history company, which offers classes, consulting, research services, and a food-focused newsletter. She also owns the Culinary Curiosity School, offering unique and playful culinary courses, and Roots + Branches writing and creativity coaching. She has a PhD in Library & Information Science, a graduate certificate in Book Art and Book History from the University of Iowa Center for the Book, and lives between Atlanta, GA and Cork, Ireland.