Tisha Bender was born and raised in London, and went to the University of Bristol. She then attended the London School of Economics for graduate school. Since coming to America, she has taught in a number of U.S. universities, including Cornell Off Campus College and The New School, and has been teaching in the Rutgers Writing Program since 2004. P.U.N.C.H. is her first published novel, and she is also the author of two editions of Discussion-Based Online Teaching to Enhance Student Learning.

Just as Tisha cannot be without a novel to read - her favourite authors range from D.H. Lawrence, to Wilkie Collins - she even named her very fluffy and equally naughty cat Wilkie - to Anne Tyler, to George Elliot, she cannot be without a novel of her own to write. She writes in the way some artists draw, by 'taking a line for a walk' and discovering where it takes her. What she aims for is the exceptionally immersive state, often helped by playing some of Beethoven's chamber music, where the story unfolds and the characters sometimes speak in ways which surprise her, and she has to write as fast as she can to capture it. And when she is in that state she finds she's much more observant of beautiful moments in nature, or the idiosyncrasies of people, much of which she might insert into her evolving story.

Tisha lives in a fairy tale cottage in the hills of New Jersey and, in the winter when the leaves are off the trees, has a glorious view of the Manhattan skyline. She likes to walk in the hills, or by a lake, and she's been known for planting trees in the rain, and baking chocolate chip cookies at 1:30 am, and share the exciting deliciousness with family and friends.