Mary Gibson was born and brought up in Bermondsey, London, where her grandmother worked at Pearce Duff's factory - the setting for her first novel, CUSTARD TARTS AND BROKEN HEARTS. JAM & ROSES is her second novel.Michael Kardos is the author of the award-winning story collection One Last Good Time. He lives in Starkville, Mississippi, where he is an assistant professor of English and co-director of the creative writing program at Mississippi State University.A. J. Smith spent twelve years devising The Long War cycle. When not living in the Lands of Ro, he works in secondary education.