Growing up in London, I spent a lot of time sitting on the Underground, daydreaming and reading books. Historical adventures in far-flung lands were always my favourites, and I used to love visiting castles and ruins.

After I left home, I lived in Japan for a while and learned all about the Samurai. Now I've swapped the city for the countryside and as well as reading books I also write stories and plays for young people.

The thing I like most about being a writer is playing around with ideas for stories in my head, which is daydreaming really so not much has changed!

Jillian Powell has an MA in English from Cambridge University and an M.Phil in Art History from the Courtauld Institute, London.

She is an experienced writer of children's fiction and non-fiction, and has written on many social issues.

Dr. John Townsend is a psychologist, popular speaker, and cohost of the nationally broadcast New Life Live! radio program, and a cofounder of Cloud-Townsend clinic and Cloud-Townsend Resources.

He has written or co-written 27 books, selling over six million copies, including the bestseller Boundaries. He is also the author of Boundaries with Teens and Hiding from Love.

He and his wife, Barbi, live in southern California. They have two grown sons.