John Farrelly was born and raised in a village just outside Newry, Co. Down. After dropping out of art college because all he wanted to do was write stories and draw pictures, he became a freelance caricature artist. He always did a full day's work - he just spread it over the whole week. Finally, after a three-day siege, where no one was injured and all hostages were released, The O'Brien Press let him write stories and draw pictures.

Brian Feeney, a political columnist with the Irish News, is a leading nationalist commentator and frequent broadcaster on Northern Ireland affairs. He was an SDLP councillor for sixteen years. He is co-author of Lost Lives: the story of the men, women and children killed in the Northern Ireland troubles. In 2001 the book won the Christopher Ewart-Biggs award for its contribution to reconciliation in Ireland and Europe. A historian by profession, he is Head of History at St Mary's University College, Belfast.

Tatyana Feeney grew up in North Carolina, where she spent much of her childhood reading and drawing. This developed into a love of art and particularly illustrations in children's books, so she gave up her ambition to be a fire girl and studied Art History and Illustration.

Tatyana now lives in Trim with her husband and two children. She is the author and illustrator of Small Bunny's Blue Blanket, Little Owl's Orange Scarf, Little Frog's Tadpole Trouble and Small Elephant's Bathtime. Tatyana has illustrated several Panda books with The O'Brien Press and is the author and illustrator of Socks for Mr Wolf. 

BRIAN FITZGERALD feels most at home illustrating children’s picture books, encouraged by winning the International Silent Book Competition in Bologna. His most recent books are I Don’t Want To Go To School, Does an Astronaut Drive a Tractor? and Does a Firefighter Fly a Rocket? He has had the pleasure of seeing five of his books brought to life on ‘Vooks’. He lives and works in Dún Laoghaire.

Nita Fitzgerald is a primary school teacher who remembers feeling really big when she could finally reach the handle on the kitchen door. Now she can open all the doors in her house in Waterford, where she lives with her husband and two children.

MARIE-LOUISE FITZPATRICK is one of Ireland’s most celebrated children’s book authors and illustrators. She has been awarded the prestigious Bisto/CBI Book of the Year Award three times: for There in 2010, You, Me and the Big Blue Sea in 2003, and Izzy and Skunk in 2001. She is also the author and illustrator of I’m a Tiger Too and I am I.

The Sleeping Giant, Marie- Louise’s second book, won a Bisto Award for Best Picture Book in 1992. Dublin-born Marie-Louise currently lives in County Wicklow with her husband.

TOM FITZPATRICK is a primary-school teacher. He is GAA Games Manager in Dublin Teacher Training Colleges and is based in St Patrick's College, Drumcondra. A Clareman, he is also secretary of Cumann na mBunscol, Áth Cliath, the organisation that promotes a love of gaelic sport and athletics among primary-school pupils.

Aubrey Flegg was born in Dublin. His early childhood was spent in County Sligo, Ireland. He went to school in Dublin and later in England. After a spell with a mountain rescue team in Scotland, he returned to Ireland to study geology at Trinity College. He then did geological research in Kenya, before joining the Geological Survey of Ireland in 1968. Aubrey recently took early retirement in order to concentrate on writing.

His first book, Katie's War, is about the civil war period in Ireland; it was published in 1997. Katie's War has recently won the Peter Pan Award 2000 -- an award created by IBBY Sweden for a children's book, translated into Swedish, which gives information on another culture.

Wings Over Delft, the first book in the Louise trilogy, won the Bisto Book of the Year overall award in 2004.

John Flood studied architecture at DIT, Bolton Street and worked on award-winning projects with de Blacam & Meagher Architects before founding DMVF Architects. John has experience in bar, restaurant and office design as well as residential projects and holds an RIAI accreditation in sustainability.