Richard Deutch was born in the USA in 1944. He published eight books of poetry and prose in Australia, USA and UK. He worked as a university lecturer, journalist, Master of Latin at a prep school, as a literary agent and as a film reviewer. He was well-known to the Australian literary community for his poetry, as well as his other books on magic and the occult. Deutch’s latest book of poetry, Heart with Piano Wire (Brandl & Schlesinger), was shortlisted for the 2001 The Age Poetry Book of the Year Award. He lived on Sydney’s northern beaches and from time to time in Belleville, Illinois.  He was married to the late Maria Trefely-Deutch, herself a literary critic and author. Richard Deutch died of cardiac arrest in Sydney on 19 May, 2005.