Rowena Austin is a freelance editor and writer based in Adelaide. In the past she ran a communications consulting firm for a decade and was a journalist on metropolitan newspapers and magazines in four states. The idea for Max Your Marks came to her when she couldn't find an inspiring book for her own Year 12 students, James and Grace. Annie Hastwell is a radio and print journalist. A former ABC broadcaster, she now works freelance producing features for Radio National and writing for magazines, as well as lecturing in journalism. Her original career as a teacher has left her with a keen interest in educational issues, especially having now gone through the dreaded Year 12 experience three times with her own children.