JJ Anselmo, a native New Yorker,  is a graduate of New York City's prestigious Stuyvesant High School and Columbia University. His first book, The Newsstand, is a coming-of-age novel mostly set in the 60's on the tough streets of New York's Little Italy. He loves all things Italian and has visited Italy more than fifteen times.

Maria Cabrini grew up in New York, the daughter of Sicilian immigrants, Consequently, her first language was Sicilian. She has visited Italy numerous times and has never missed the opportunity to sample Italian regional cuisine. She is currently in the early stages of developing an Italian cookbook.