Born in Italy, I.L.Callis grew up in Berlin and Paris. Later she studied law in Salzburg. She gained journalistic experience with the ORF’s news service Aktuellen Dienst  before conducting research in contemporary history and National Socialist legislation at the Institute for European Legal History. Callis is a member of the International League for Human Rights. She is a roundtable member of International Thriller Writers and a member of the English Crime Writers’ Association.