John S. Hatcher holds a BA and MA in English Literature from Vanderbilt University and a PhD in English literature from the University of Georgia. He is a professor emeritus of English literature at the University of South Florida, Tampa. A widely published poet and distinguished lecturer, he has written numerous books on literature, philosophy, and Baha'i theology and scripture. He and his family live on a farm near Plant City, Florida. Amrollah Hemmat was born and educated in Tehran and is the coauthor of four volumes of poetry translated from Persian and Arabic into English, as well as the author of books and educational material on Arabic grammar. He received an MS degree in applied behavioral science from Johns Hopkins University and a PhD in communication from the University of South Florida.