Mike Leeder attended Diss Grammar and the City of Norwich schools, graduating from Durham in geology and subsequently earning a PhD at Reading. He was on the faculty at the Universities of Leeds and East Anglia and is now Emeritus Professor. He is a medallist of the Geological Society of London and the Yorkshire Geological Society. He currently lives and writes alternately in West Cork and South Norfolk.Joy Lawlor attended Hinckley Grammar School, trained as an art teacher at Bath, taught at secondary schools in central Liverpool and graduated in English Literature at its University. She subsequently moved to West Cork, raised three children and became an award-winning art teacher. Since retiring she has gained an MA in art therapy and continues to paint, garden and write enthusiastically.