Yann Martel is a Canadian writer. He is the author of a collection of short stories and four novels, most notably Life of Pi, for which he won the 2002 Man Booker Prize. Writing credits include: The Facts Behind the Helsinki Roccamatios; Self; Life of Pi; Beatrice and Virgil; The High Mountains of Portugal; and the non-fiction collection 101 Letters to a Prime Minister: The Completed Letters to Stephen Harper. Martel is presently at work on a novel about the Trojan War. He lives in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, with the writer Alice Kuipers and their four children.

Lolita Chakrabarti is an award-winning actress and playwright. Her work on Red Velvet earned the Evening Standard Charles Wintour Award for Most Promising Playwright 2012; The Critic's Circle Award for Most Promising Playwright 2013 and an Olivier Award nomination for Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre 2012. Writing credits include: Red Velvet (Tricycle Theatre/St Ann's Warehouse/ New York/Garrick Theatre); Invisible Cities (Adaption/59 Productions/Ballet Rambert/Sidi Larbi Cherkhaoui/Manchester International Festival); The Greatest Wealth (The Old Vic); Last Seen: Joy (Almeida Theatre) and Red Velvet, The Goddess (BBC Radio 4).