John A. Tully is descended from English and Irish forebears. A Tasmanian expatriate, a socialist and an active trade unionist, he worked as a rigger in construction and heavy industry for many years.

He currently lectures in Politics and History at Victoria University in Melbourne, Australia. He is the author of six published books, a number of articles, book reviews and short stories. His previous book, Dark Clouds on the Mountain, also set in Tasmania, was published by Hybrid Publishers in 2010.