I had the good fortune of being born in a small town (how small? Population 8,500 - well, OK, 8,489) in Northern Maine in the U.S.A. As a boy, my love of fishing led me a merry chase deep into the Maine woods in pursuit of the wily brook trout. Those happy hours instilled in me a love of nature that has remained with me throughout the years. My colleagues can vouch for that.

Philip Hewitt grew up and went to school in the town of Croydon before it became part of London.

Mon grand petit frère Brigitte Peskine was born in 1951. She has three daughters and eight grandchildren. She writes novels for teenagers and adults. She also wrote the script for a television series. She shares her time between Paris and the Berry region, where she writes, sculpts and greets her big family.