LOIS DUNCAN (1934 - ) grew up in Sarasota, Florida. Ever since she was a young girl, she knew she wanted to be a writer, and she sold her first story to a magazine when she was thirteen. In 1962 she moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, where she taught at the Journalism Department at the University of New Mexico while she continued to write for magazines. Lois Duncan has written over 50 bestselling books for young people and adults, many of which have won awards.

Emil Erich Kästner (23 February 1899 - 29 July 1974) was a German author, poet, screenwriter and satirist, known primarily for his humorous, socially astute poetry and for children's books including Emil and the Detectives. He received the international Hans Christian Andersen Medal in 1960 for his autobiography Als ich ein kleiner Junge war.

Thomas Brussig (born 1964) is a German writer best known for his satirical novels that deal with the German Democratic Republic. Brussig was born in Berlin. After attending the "Heinrich-Hertz" School, he went on to train as a builder. In 1984 he finished school and training, and served in the East German National People's Army (German: Nationale Volksarmee or NVA). Brussig found it difficult to wield a weapon and had a hard time. He worked as a museum guard, cleaner and hotel porter among a variety of other odd jobs until the early 90s.