Ruta Sepetys was born and raised in Michigan in a loving houshold, enjoyed her school years and bravely stepped into the world when she left home for Paris, France to live and work.

She has her roots in a completely different medium, that of music and It was only when she visited relatives in Lithuania that she discovered a family history that was seemingly hidden, and realised that there was a personal story to tell of a cataclysmic event in European history that is not commonly known.

Between Shades of Gray is a story that is both poignant and extraordinary. It is both difficult to read, because it is so painful and so personal, and also uplifting - to discover the joy and spirit of the Lithuanian people.

Ruta Sepetys now lives in Tennessee with her family, enjoys their company and that of her friends and is passionate about the arts and truth.

Steve Sheinkin is the acclaimed author of fast-paced, cinematic nonfiction histories for young readers, including The Port Chicago 50: Disaster, Mutiny, and the Fight for Civil Rights; The Notorious Benedict Arnold: A True Story of Adventure, Heroism & Treachery; Bomb: The Race to Build--and Steal--the World's Most Dangerous Weapon; and Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War.

His accolades include a Newbery Honor, three Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards, a Sibert Medal, and three National Book Award finalist honors. Sheinkin lives in Saratoga Springs, New York, with his wife and two children.