Kate Banks (1960 - 2024) was the author of many picture books and novels. The Horn Book called her novel, The Magician's Apprentice, "lyrical, imagistic, and thought-provoking." She lived in the south of France with her family.
Dr. Rupert Sheldrake is a biologist and the author of a dozen books. He studied at Harvard and Cambridge Universities and works on projects funded by many institutions around the world. He lives in London with his wife.