Born in Sudan, Y. M. Abdel-Magied's first job as a teenager was in a coal mine in rural Australia. After graduating with first-class honours in Mechanical Engineering, Abdel-Magied trained and worked as an MWD (Measurement While Drilling) contractor and drilling engineer across Europe, Australia, Asia and the United States. She is the founder of the organization Youth Without Borders and the author of six books (three works of non-fiction and three books for children). At Sea is Abdel-Magied's first adult novel and will be her American debut. She lives in England.