About the Author

SHELLY PEIKEN (Los Angeles) is a Grammy-nominated songwriter. She has been a prolific, behind-the-scenes force in the music business for more than two decades. Her songs have sold in excess of 50 million records. She is best known for penning culturally resonant, female-empowerment anthems such as Christina Aguilera's No. 1 hit What a Girl Wants and Meredith Brooks' smash Bitch.