Julian Sedgwick is the author of six books for children, and co-author of the graphic novel Dark Satanic Mills and illustrated novel Voyages in the Underworld of Orpheus Black.

On the way to realising his childhood ambition to write, Julian read Chinese Studies and Philosophy at Cambridge, before working as a bookseller, painter, researcher and script developer for film and TV, and shiatsu therapist.

For the last three years Julian has been patron of reading for Leighton Park School and has now visited over 150 schools both in the UK and abroad. Voyages in the Underworld of Orpheus Black has just been shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal 2020.

Julian lives near Ely, Cambridgeshire is married and has two grown-up sons. He still combines writing with his work as a therapist. In his spare time he draws as much as possible, juggles torches and knives, tries his best to learn Japanese - and waits for the weather to get cold enough to go fen skating.

Chie Kutsuwada was born and brought up in Japan. A well-known figure in teaching manga in the UK, Chie went to Central Saint Martine's for her art major and first graduated as an art major from a Japanese college before moving to London, where she continued her studies at the Royal College of Art.

She now works as a professional manga artist and lives in Brighton.