Sally Murphy grew up loving books, babies and beaches, and nothing much has changed. Now she is grown up (though she tries hard not to be), she thinks a perfect day is one which involves reading, writing, walking or swimming at the beach, time with her six (also grown up) children, her grandchildren, and long-suffering husband.

When she isn’t doing these things, Sally is a university academic, teaching teachers how to teach

Simon O’Carrigan grew up in the lush Blue Mountains and spent summers visiting a family farm replete with red dirt and drought in central New South Wales.

He works from his studio in Melbourne’s inner north, creating artworks and illustrations with pencil, ink, watercolour and digital media. When not drawing, he spends as much time outdoors as possible: he likes to run, cycle and kayak by The Yarra or swim at his local pool. He lives with his wife and their fluffy grey rescue cat.