Olga Grjasnowa was born in Baku, Azerbaijan. Her debut novel
Der Russe ist einer, der Birken liebt (
All Russians Love Birch Trees) was awarded the Klaus-Michael Kuhne Prize and the Anna Seghers Prize.
City of Jasmine is her third novel. Olga Grjasnowa lives with her family in Berlin.
Katy Derbyshire, originally from London, has lived in Berlin for over twenty years. Her translation of Clemens Meyer's Bricks and Mortar was longlisted for the Man Booker International Prize 2017. She occasionally teaches translation and co-hosts a monthly translation lab and the bi-monthly Dead Ladies Show. Katy was recently awarded the Translator Prize of the Foundation for Art and Culture NRW for her translation and advocacy work.