Nerida Newton was born in Brisbane, and has since lived in Malaysia, South Africa and the UK. Her first novel, The Lambing Flat, won the Queensland Premier's award for an emerging author, and was shortlisted for The Australian/Vogel award, the Commonwealth Writers' Prize for the Asia/Pacific region (first book) and One Book One Brisbane. In 2004, she was named by the Sydney Morning Herald as one of Australia's best young novelists. Nerida currently lives in Brisbane with her husband and son.

Camilla Noli lives in Australia with her husband and children. She is a graduate of the Varuna Writing Program in Sydney's Blue Mountains. THE MOTHER'S TALE is her first novel.