Born and raised in Kitchener, Ontario, Susan Zettell has lived in Cambridge, Vancouver, Halifax, Ottawa and Whitehorse. She now lives in Cape Breton with her husband, Andy Watt. Susan came late to hockey through MAMMAH (Middle-aged Menopausal Mothers Attempt Hockey).Susan is also the author of two short story collections, Night Watch and Holy Days of Obligation. Her stories have been anthologized in Quintet, Spider Women, The Day the Men Went to Town and The Company We Keep. She edited, along with Frances Itani, the posthumous story collection One of the Chosen by Danuta Gleed. The Checkout Girl is her first novel.