Jennifer M.T. Carter grew up in the United Kingdom and took an honours degree in French language, literature and civilization at Aberdeen University in Scotland. She is an independent researcher and writer, and the author of Painting the Islands Vermilion: Archibald Watson and the brig Carl, Eyes to the Future: Sketches of Australia and her neighbours in the 1870s, and Burra 1845-1851: A Directory of Early Folk. Research for her historical novels (written as Mary Talbot Cross) has taken her to England, India and France. As well as travel, she lists among her interests gardening and the pursuit of the eccentric.
Roger Cross and his wife Jennifer moved to the mid north of South Australia on his retirement from the University of Melbourne. As a senior lecturer he was involved in the science education programmes at the University. His research interest into the nature and social aspects of science led to the publication of the highly successful book Fallout: Hedley Marston and the British Atomic Bomb Tests in Australia (published by Wakefield Press, 2001) which was used as the basis of the Film Australia documentary Silent Storm. Apart from numerous educational publications, he is a co-author (with Avon Hudson) of Beyond Belief: The British Bomb Tests: Australia's veterans speak out.