Filter criteria works on first value
Step 1

To have such a list of authors that can be referenced, you should first (repeat: first) create a view (with the Views module) to create a list of all the authors that are allowed to be selected. And the display type of such view must be an Entity Reference display.

Step 2

Your select box field (to select from a filtered list of authors) should be field that looks like so:


Field Name = Anything you want, eg field_authors_list.
Field Type = Entity Reference, using these additional settings for it:


Target type = node
Number of values = 1, though something like "unlimited may do as well (not clear to me from your question).
"Mode" (within "entity selection") = Views: Filter by an entity reference view. However, before you can select an appropriate view at this point (which is eligible to do so), you first need to create a view with an Entity Reference display, or add such a display to an existing view. In your case, you should select the view created in "Step 1".
Pick any of the other options to define this field as you see fit.



Step 3

If the list of authors you can select (after completing the previous 2 steps) is not exactly what you want, eg "you want to have the ones in which all of authors are active, whereas active means 'have a specific value for one of their fields'" (as in your question), then refine/tune the view in step 1 so that the Views results do match with what you want the list to look like.