Melbourne-born Lily Alice grew up in Alice Springs, the heart of Australia, where she went on bush tucker trips with her dad, Toly, and the Anmatyerr ladies from the Utopia community north-east of Alice Springs. They would set out in an earth-smelling, red-dusted troopy and return home with bundles of bush potato (anatye), witchetty grubs (tyarpe) and bush tomato (akayterre). Lily created the botanical illustrations throughout the book. Thomas O’Quinn was born and educated in Melbourne. It was through a scholastic journey of trial and error, including a brief stint as a landscape gardener, that Thomas found his way to Grenadi School of Design. He spent four years juggling study, full-time work, and writing and performing as a singer/songwriter, graduating with a Diploma of Graphic Design in 2016. Lily and partner Thomas work together as dreams&bones design. Both avid animal lovers and supporters of animal rights, Thomas and Lily made the switch to a vegan lifestyle several years ago. They found that rather than create limitations, it opened up a whole new world of interesting and nutrient-rich ingredients and has had a profound impact on their health and well-being. They both share a passion for cooking and nutrition, which often finds them clanging around in the kitchen at all
hours and serving up experimental concoctions to their friends and family.