Meet Our Pre-Published Authors
Shopping Cart
Your Cart is Empty
Quantity:
Subtotal
Taxes
Shipping
Total
The Seymour Agency is proud to continue to search for talented new authors and fresh voices to bring into the industry. Meet some of our gifted, soon-to-be-published clients.
Elizabeth Agege
Elizabeth Agege
Based in Washington, D.C, Elizabeth Agege is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, where she earned her BA in Political Science, as well as the London School of Economics, where she earned a Master’s in Public Policy. As the child of Nigerian immigrants, Elizabeth has always sought out stories where she could see herself and her culture reflected. She has striven to tell stories highlighting the beauty and complexity of Black girlhood.
Instagram: @elizabethagegewrites
Twitter:
@eagegewrites
Mike Ajnsztajn
Mike Ajnsztajn
Mike Ajnsztajn is a serial entrepreneur and participates in an international network of investors, Angels, Venture Capital, and Private Equity funds. He is the founder and ACE Startups, the largest startup accelerator in Latin America In addition, he is also the Founder and Chairman of the Board of GVAngels, one of the largest and most active angel investing groups in Brazil.
Mike is fluent in five languages and grew up in Brazil, in a family that was an amalgam of nationalities; a Polish father. Egyptian mother and German sister. Mike married an American Jersey girl; his family is the real Tower of Babel.
After graduation from business school, Mike worked for large multinational companies and had the opportunity to live many years in Paris and China.
He decided to abandon a prominent executive career to return to Brazil and spend a few months with his father, that was diagnosed with terminal cancer, before becoming an entrepreneur and starting his first business.
Nowadays, Mike divides his time between Sāo Paulo and New Jersey, where he lives with his wife and a smart border collie.
Ugo Anidi
Ugo Anidi
Ugo Anidi is mad about all things children’s books! She’s a lifelong reader (think all the volumes of Britannica and Shakespeare at age 11) and writer, (yup! she used to sell her stories to her classmates in 4th grade).
She’s a sucker for fried plantains, suya, and a good book with slices of magic and cups of history laced with 3 big teaspoons of mythology and a dash of mystery.😊 Add sprinkles of dry humour and you’ve made her day. She writes picture books, chapter books and middle grade. She hopes to create mirrors for Nigerian kids, at home and in the diaspora, and windows into life in Nigeria for children all over the world.
She’s the Regional Advisor for the Nigerian Chapter of SCBWI, a member of Julie Hedlund’s 12 x 12 community and an MFA Candidate in the Writing for Children and Young Adults Program at VCFA.
In her ‘other’ life, she is a lecturer in law and she plays a mean game of Scrabble. She shares her home in Lagos, Nigeria with her husband, three sons, 300 books and the characters in her head.
Website:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/UgochinyeluA
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ugoanidi
Dane Arakaki
Dane Arakaki
Dane Arakaki lists “Grease 2” as one of his favorite movies. That should tell you everything you
need to know about him. If it doesn’t, then know that Dane grew up as a military brat and lived in California, Georgia, Texas, and two separate stints in Japan. These formative years would
later shape his imagination as a screenwriter and middle grade author of fantasy/adventure.
Currently residing in San Antonio, Texas, Dane likes to spend his time with family, his laptop,
and handfuls of cacahuates japones. He has had 10 independent feature films and a TV series produced, starring the likes of Amy Smart, C. Thomas Howell, and Lance Henriksen. Dane lists Terry Pratchett, Agatha Christie, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, and Grady Hendrix as favorite authors.
Fun facts: When he was 19 years old, Dane participated in an open tryout for the Oakland
Athletics (he didn’t make the cut) and has never struck a match in his life.
Twitter:
@alamohapa
Julie Augensen
Julie Augensen
Julie Augensen is a children’s author, writing adventurous fiction and branching into nonfiction picture books. Her stories range from humorous to folk tale. As a reluctant reader, she hit her reading stride in middle school when she discovered the Laura Ingles Wilder series. She lives in Tampa, FL, with her husband and a teenaged son. As a lover of pink, all things girly, dark chocolate, and a decaf caramel latte with almond milk, Julie is pursuing a writing career and she is a senior at USF earning a Studio Art degree. Julie is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI).
Sarah E. Bailey
Sarah E. Bailey
Sarah E. Bailey is a romance writer and artist, living in sunny SoCal with her college sweetheart, twin (almost adult) children, and a cuddly little bulldog named Gizmo. She writes coming of age romance with strong heroines and swoony-worthy heroes.
When she’s not crafting HEA’s, she’s crafting with just about anything else: yarn, paint, and don’t forget the GLITTER. An artist since birth, she grew up with an addiction to creating art in all its forms and can’t imagine a day when that could ever change.
Sarah is an eclectic music junkie, a Mexican food connoisseur, and a remedial gardener—not for a lack of trying. If you would like to know more about Sarah, please check out her social media:
Twitter:
@SBTheRen
Instagram:
@sebailey76
Website:
Neesa Bally
Neesa Bally
Neesa is a picture book author from Trinidad and Tobago. She writes stories that range from heartfelt and lyrical to humorous and whimsical. She was a 2020 PBChat mentee and a finalist in the We Need Diverse Voices mentorship programme.
Contrary to popular belief, she does not spend her days lazing on the beach (though, she wishes she did). She is just as happy spending time at home with her husband, two daughters and four dogs.
Instagram:
https://instagram.com/neesabally?utm_medium=copy_link
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/neesabally?t=b38M3dwCmylXMlHZo9vKHA&s=09
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/neesaballychildrensauthor/
Website:
Mae Bennett
Mae Bennett
Mae Bennett is an attorney who enjoys imagining and writing happily ever afters in her free time. She writes higher heat contemporary romances and was a '22 mentee for the inaugural KissPitch Mentorship program.
She's a voracious romance reader while her grumpy cat, King Louis, rules from his throne, and believes you can never have too many tropes. When she's not reading she can be found rewatching all of her favorite TV shows and finding the best gluten free restaurants.
Instagram: www.instagram.com/twiceuponabook
Twitter: www.twitter.com/twiceuponabook1
Tim Berry
Tim Berry
Tim Berry is the founder of the Center for Positive Change LLC. As such, he has enjoyed wearing two professional hats. First, he has consistently maintained a clinical practice (psychotherapy) in psychology. His particular focus for over 30-years has been in coaching individuals and couples towards positive transitional changes. Second, as a consulting psychologist and leadership coach, Tim helps organizations, family-businesses, and individuals resolve difficult blind spots, restricting productivity, personal fulfillment, and peak performance. He was a licensed fly-fishing guide for 18-years in California and Washington. When appropriate, he continues to utilize the water in his Transition-Coaching work. Experience has shown that doing the coaching work on the water expedites the coaching process exponentially.
By way of training, Tim holds master's and doctoral degrees in both theology and psychology. Since 1982 he has been interested professionally in both organizational and leadership development and leadership transition issues. Tim has advanced training in sports psychology, biofeedback, and interactive guided imagery, making him particularly useful in coaching leaders who seek to lead from their center.
The Center for Positive Change LLC is located in the charming town of Missoula, Montana. Montana in general and Missoula specifically are world-famous as vacation destinations for discerning travelers and as a fly-fishing mecca.
Thornton Blease
Thornton Blease
Thornton Blease wants to live in a world where horses, dragons, and mermaids roam free, and everyone can reach their fullest potential.
As a teen, Thornton won 26 gold keys and three National titles from Scholastic's Teen Art and Writing Awards and has been published in Scholastic's Teens' Best Writing. As a young adult, he is a judge for the same awards.
He has a BA from Sarah Lawrence and an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from The New School.
Conferences allow him to travel the country to hone his craft and encourage children, especially those with (dis)abilities to read and write. Thornton is a proud and active member of the SCBWI. 12X12 and GLVWG. He has also attended the competitive Southampton Children's Literature Conference, VCFA Writing for Young Peoples Retreat and Highlights.
Thornton has been published in Scholastic's Teens' Best Writing, The Underground, River of Words, Rewriting the Past Anthology, and CSA Journals.
Growing up in rural Stewartsville, NJ, Thornton jokes about being born in an animal hospital/shelter. Not quite. But he has learned about love, devotion, sorrow, and cruelty from his experiences at the clinic. He lives with his rescue cats, dogs, horse, and donkeys.
Thornton was published in Writes of Passage 2021 (an anthology) that was the BOOKFEST WINNER. He also won a Gold (WINGFINGER) and a SILVER (The Rise of Ninja Cat) Royal Palm Literary Award October 2022 for an unpublished manuscript.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thornton.blease
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ThorntonBlease
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thornton-blease-28504744/
Website:
Stephanie Bleser
Stephanie Bleser
Stephanie Bleser is a middle grade and picture book author who loves coffee, eating out, and all things outdoorsy (minus the bugs). When she isn’t writing, she works as a civil engineer. She lives outside of St. Louis with her husband and two kids.
If you would like to know more about Stephanie, please visit the following links:
Website: www.stephaniebleser.com/
Twitter:
@StephanieBleser
J.R. Boles
J.R. Boles
J.R. Boles is a romance and speculative fiction writer. She lives in her hometown of Kansas City with her husband, fearless daughters, and rescue dogs. You can usually find her at the local library writing, editing, or pretending that she’s great at making things out of yarn. J.R. is an enrolled member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma.
Website:
Twitter: www.twitter.com/jrbolesauthor
Facebook Author Page: www.facebook.com/jrboles
Instagram: www.instagram.com/jrbolesauthor
TikTok: www.tiktok.com/jrbolesauthor
Newsletter Sign Up: https://jrboles.us14.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=e97bf0d09833d34dd833fa54b&id=fb6b55e31e
Bailey Boone
Bailey Boone
Bailey Boone is a teacher and writer, living in Kentucky with her family and her very spoiled guinea pig. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education from Western Kentucky University. She has been writing since before she can really remember (and, before she could actually write words, would fill notebooks with scribbles and pretend that they were words) and is thrilled to be working alongside Julie Gwinn on her debut historical novel, IF ALL ROADS WERE BLIND, which details the lives of Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow.
Website:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BaileyEBoone
Nick Brouard
Nick Brouard
Nick Brouard is an award-winning copywriter and fiction writer originally from Guernsey in the United Kingdom, but currently living in Vancouver, Canada.
With a bachelor’s degree in Film Theory and Production and master’s degree in English Literature, Nick combines his joint loves of literature and filmmaking to create stories with vivid dialogue and a distinct filmic quality.
On the rare occasion he isn’t at his desk writing, you’ll find him hanging out with his wife Zena, buried in a book, or lurking in the shadows of his local cinema.
Website:
LinkedIn:
Dave Bruns
Dave Bruns
Dave Bruns is a retired Child Welfare worker who took advantage of the Covid lockdown to write his first novel, Rule Number Four. A short story, Givin’ the Dog a Bone, featured in the upcoming (2024) anthology Back in Black, followed. Both the book and story feature Carl Boyd, a former Air America pilot turned smuggler. Bruns has been known to say, “Child Welfare workers never get rich, but they always have the best stories at parties”. A career spent working with clients who were drug smugglers, drug dealers and murderers prepared him well for his second career as a storyteller. No, he has never smuggled drugs or buried any bodies, but he has some good ideas on the topics if you’re interested.
Dave attended the University of Toledo where he ran track, and continues to live in the Toledo, Ohio area with his wife Lou Ann.
Facebook: https:www.facebook.com/davebruns/author
Email: [email protected]
KL Burd
KL Burd
KL Burd has always made a home in multiple cultures. Growing up on various continents as an Army brat in an Immigrant Caribbean home, KL loved to read books from all genres and backgrounds from Fantasy to Contemporary to Mystery and Horror. However, his absolute favorite was Sci-Fi. The only problem: as a young Black man, KL never saw himself in any of his fantastical heroes.
Years later, as a husband and dad in a mixed-race household, KL’s dream is that his boys will not only love books like he does but can identify with their favorite protagonists.
KL writes so that underrepresented kids, especially young Black boys and girls, can see themselves in every type of story imaginable.
Meredith Seung Mee Buse
Meredith Seung Mee Buse
As a veteran classroom teacher, Korean American transracial adoptee Meredith Seung Mee Buse has been featured in The New York Times and The Philadelphia Inquirer, recognized with a Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching and learned innumerable lessons from her students. Because of this experience, she excels at engaging kids in tough topics. Her children’s books examine transracial adoptees’ complex lived experience from the perspective of the adopted child.
She lives in Philadelphia with her wonderful husband, two cool kids and three silly cats. She loves writing and hates deadlines in equal measure. On her blog, 365days365hours.com, Meredith grapples with her identity as a transracial adoptee and showcases her distinctive voice via entries like Day 13: To My Dad with Love, Day 235: 36 and Day 263: Meredith -- and Other White Girls Names.
Meredith is beyond thrilled to be represented by Marisa Cleveland.
Twitter:
@msmbuse
Facebook:
Meredith SB
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meredith-seung-mee-buse/
Hamsa Buvaraghan
Hamsa Buvaraghan
Hamsa Buvaraghan is a Technology Leader with 20+ years’ experience building Enterprise Products. She currently manages Artificial Intelligence Solutions at Google Cloud. She has worn several hats - as an Engineer, Product Manager, Entrepreneur and now a Middle grade Fantasy Author.
The idea for her debut book spawned from her experiences in Indonesia when she worked with a Non-Profit called Indonesia Street Children Foundation. Hidden behind the beaming smiles on the faces of those children was - every day struggles for food and education. Her inspiration for writing comes from her diverse experiences living and traveling around the world.
Hamsa holds an MBA and a Computer Science Engineering degree. She spent most of her childhood in Southern India, she has also lived in Connecticut, New Jersey and Canada.
She currently resides in Bay Area, California with her husband and two daughters. A lot of credit for her debut book goes to her budding co-authors, her daughters. Keeping the girls out of the room when she wrote was quite a challenge. With such an avid audience at home, she was forced to keep up her constant pace of writing.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorHamsaBuvaraghan
Twitter: https://twitter.com/authorhamsa
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorhamsa/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hamsa-buvaraghan-9911bb8/
Camille S. Campbell
Camille S. Campbell
Ukrainian author Camille S. Campbell loves dreaming up glittering YA fantasy worlds and writing vibrant picture books for children. Camille's work has received awards from The New York Times, Moonbeam Book Awards, the Purple Dragonfly Awards, Penguin Random House, and Scholastic. She's a contributor to She's the First and Girls' Life Magazine and loves to create content to inspire youth. When she's not writing, you can find Camille silk painting, playing classical guitar, and making too many Pinterest boards. She loves a daily pot of Earl Grey tea (with or without homemade scones) and a good dose of mystery books.
Website: https://www.camillescampbell.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StoryTellingCSC/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/camillescampbell
Twitter: https://twitter.com/StoryTellingCSC
Cathy Castelli
Cathy Castelli
Cathy Castelli is a middle grade writer with a love of reading and writing mysteries. She was born and raised in La Salle, IL, an area she likes to revisit in her writing.
After graduating from the University of Illinois with a degree in public speaking, Cathy moved to South Florida to teach acting, debate, and English. Her love of libraries led her to a Master's Degree in Library Science. She is a National Board Certified media specialist. Cathy is currently a high school/college media specialist where she loves to match books to readers. Her school library was recently named a Florida Power Library school.
Cathy is a member of SCBWI and was selected for the SCBWI Nevada Mentoring Program in 2014. She also received two Rising Kite Awards from Florida SCBWI.
When not concentrating on all things book related, Cathy enjoys hot yoga, sewing, and spending time with her husband and teenage son especially if that time is spent at Disney.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cathy.castelli.1
Twitter:
@CathyCastelli
MeiLin Chan
MeiLin Chan
When MeiLin left Hong Kong for California to begin middle school, not only did she discover a new country but also the wonder of books. She learned English by reading middle grade novels with a dictionary and couldn't stop reading since.
Her high school essays led to scholarships to attend U.C. Berkeley where she studied Business and Psychology. With no idea what to do next, she tried out careers like installing text-messaging software for Caribbean wireless carriers, casting magic spells with Excel and statistics software in educational technologies research at M.I.T., running her own commercial real estate brokerage in Boston, creating and marketing novelty soaps that resembled the Periodic Table or sushi from her soap-making studio, and translating technical information into marketing collateral for software companies.
She’s thankful for the caterpillar her daughter couldn’t keep that sparked the idea for the very first kidlit manuscript which led to many others. She’s a scholarship winner from the Highlights Foundation, 12x12 Picture Book Challenge, and SCBWI’s Mentorship Program. When she’s not brainstorming for surprising metaphors in picture books and novels, she’s likely pollinating fruit flowers in her garden or playing pretend with her daughters and husband in California.
Twitter:
@meilin418
Instagram:
@meilinwrites
Website:
Andrew & Katie Cherkasky
Andrew & Katie Cherkasky
Andrew and Katie Cherkasky are a married couple who are both former federal prosecutors. They began their legal careers in the military, supporting the U.S. efforts in the war on terrorism. As prosecutors, they focused their work on sexually violent crimes, and rose to the top, being recognized as the best of the best.
Since leaving their federal jobs, they founded a civil rights law firm. Since the firm’s inception, they have represented thousands of accused criminals, taken hundreds of felony cases to trial, and have sued the US Government for hundreds of millions of dollars for civil rights violations.
In 2018 the couple found a voice in the national news as regular legal and political commentators and authors for major media outlets. The two have spoken on nearly every major news story -- regularly featured on Fox News, CNN, Court TV, and the Op-Ed section of USA Today, to name a few. They have also found great success as hosts of their own podcast – Legally Bound – where they debate their views on “love, law, and politics.”
The couple and their five children moved to New York City in the summer of 2022 to further their careers as writers, pundits, and civil rights leaders.
Website: www.GoldenLawInc.com
Twitter:
@CherkaskyKatie
@CherkaskyLaw
YouTube:
Legally Blondish
Golden Law, Inc.
TikTok:
@legallybound
R.C. Chizhov
R.C. Chizhov
Children's book author, R.C. Chizhov grew up in India and moved to New York in 2005 to pursue her higher education at Columbia University. She spent fourteen years as an investment banker before living her childhood dream of being an author. She now lives in Florida with her husband and son, writing stories with humor and heart, where anything is possible. When she's not writing, she's curled up with a book, solving jigsaw puzzles, hiking, or by the beach. She's a member of SCBWI and Making Room for Rhyme.
Website:
Instagram: instagram.com/rcchizhov
Twitter:
Catherine Cook
Catherine Cook
Catherine grew up in Salt Lake City, needed some adventure and lived on both coasts, then
returned home again to the mountains with a newfound certainty in her heart that writing
stories was truly her bliss.
That discovery came after years of secondary teaching, film production and screenwriting,
working in snooty restaurants, and earning a bachelor’s degree in English. Her sweet spot is
stories for middle grade and young adult and she’s an active member of the SCBWI. She’s also a staunch advocate for the Oxford comma and a fierce lover of chocolate (she is half Swiss after all).
When she’s not writing or reading, she can be found running (mixed with a heel click or two), shopping at Trader Joe’s, and road tripping to National Parks with her husband and three children.
Website:
https://catherinecookwriter.com/
Twitter:
@cecookwriter
Jessica L. Cozzi
Jessica L. Cozzi
Jessica L. Cozzi crafts swoon-worthy romances for teens to show that there is always love in the world, if you’re willing to find it. She is a publicist at William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins, and is also a former YA book blogger. She has a BA in Creative Writing from Fordham University and an MFA in Young Adult Fiction Writing & Professional Writing from Southern New Hampshire University. Her literary passion lies in Young Adult stories, including any and all contemporary romantic comedies. Through the stories she puts on bookstore shelves, she gives readers the chance to flip through the pages, fall in love, and find their inner hopeless romantic.
Author Twitter: https://www.facebook.com/JessCozziWrites
Author Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jesscozziwrites/
Author Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/JessCozziWrites
Author website: https://jesscozziwrites.com/
Author newsletter: https://jesscozziwrites.com/newsletter/
Diana Ting Delosh
Diana Ting Delosh
Diana Ting Delosh is an illustrator/author. Diana contracted the art bug at the age of two when she nibbled her way through her first box of crayons and she is still happily doodling away. Diana is a member of the SCBWI, 12x12 and is the co-president of CBIG, a New York City area Children’s Book Illustrators Group. Her whimsical illustrations have appeared on greeting cards, educational and children’s books. She received the Highlights High Five Pewter Plate for Puzzle Poem of the Year in 2008 and the SCBWI Magazine Merit Honor Award for Illustration in 2002.
Website:
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/dtdelosh
Blog:
Tamara DeStefano
Tamara DeStefano
Creatively speaking, Tamara DeStefano is a jack of many trades. She began writing early in life, winning numerous illustrated poetry and short story contests. Then in her twenties she penned her first romances.
Set in contemporary, historical and futuristic settings each tale contained a dash of humor, a pinch of sex and, well…a bad word or ten. As she matured (we’ll use the description lightly) she expanded on her creative talents to include stories for middle grade and early readers, which, of course, she dialed back to a G-rating.
An accomplished artist, along with illustrating her own picture books, Tamara also uses her vivid imagination, and an addiction to acrylics, to create colorful still life paintings, whimsical animals, tongue-in-cheek pop art and even romance novel cover art via Photoshop – which do NOT have G-ratings.
Tamara lives in Georgia with her two dogs. She’d love a little gentle stalking!
You can follow her on Instagram @tamaradestefanoart and on Facebook as Tamara LeBlanc.
Alina Donahue
Alina Donahue
Alina attended Florida Southwestern University in Naples, FL and is continuing her education in Political Science. Alina’s career kicked off when she became the assistant to the most successful Marketing Director in a Corporation made of 35 restaurants. At the age of 26, Alina became the youngest Director of Sales in Naples, FL. Within her role as Director of Sales, Alina joined the Next Gen Committee for The Shelter for Abused Women and Children. Within that committee she received a behind the scenes look at the high demand for advocates of Domestic Violence and Human Trafficking.
In 2020 Alina was promoted to Human Trafficking Specialist. Alina feels honored to be a part of such an amazing organization. Part of Alina’s new role is assisting the Chief Operating Officer in creating and implementing an 18-month Rehabilitation Program for survivors of sex trafficking.
Alina is a graduate of the Associate Leadership Collier class. She has served as a committee member on the Domestic Violence Taskforce and Fatality Review Taskforce for Naples, FL. Alina currently sits on the committee for the Drug Exposed Newborn Taskforce and is a proud member for the Victim Advocate Team on behalf of the Attorney General’s Office, 20th Judicial Circuit.
Instagram:
@alinatheauthor
Cari Dubiel
Cari Dubiel
Cari Dubiel is a writer, librarian, bassoonist, and mom in Northeast Ohio. She is the Head of Editing for Writing Bloc, a cooperative writing community, and a past Library Liaison to Sisters in Crime. She is also a co-host of the Indie Writer Podcast. Cari won the 2017 Hugh Holton Award from the Midwest chapter of the Mystery Writers of America. Her short story collection, ALL THE LONELY PEOPLE, was selected for wide distribution by the Indie Author Project and Library Journal.
Facebook:
@caridubielauthor
Twitter:
@caridubiel
Instagram:
@cb1281
Hive:
@caridubiel
TikTok:
@caridubielauthor
Website:
Dan Duncan
Dan Duncan
Dan has spent years dabbling in different forms of artistic expression from playing in bands to performing stand-up comedy. Stand-up comedy is where he discovered a love for writing stories. Making people laugh is one of his favorite feelings. For example: he created an audio walking tour of his house for a housewarming party that turned into an interactive recording where the guests had to banish a demon who tried to take over the house. Like So Many Voices is his first graphic novel. When not writing graphic novel scripts, Dan plays drums in the band Hovering Shrikes. He lives with his partner and sweet dog, Beatrice in Portland, Oregon.
Instagram:
@Dduncs
Twitter:
@DanJDuncan
Leigh Dunlap
Leigh Dunlap
Leigh Dunlap is the screenwriter behind the hit movie “A Cinderella Story” starring Hilary Duff, “16-Love”, starring Lindsey Shaw (Pretty Little Liars) and Chandler Massey (Emmy winner for Days of Our Lives) and “The Standoff”, starring Olivia Holt (Cruel Summer) and Alex Wolff (Jumanji, Heredity, Old). Leigh is an OG Valley Girl who attended film school at the University of Southern California. Her favorite book is “Ship of Gold in the Deep Blue Sea” by Gary Kinder, because secretly she wishes she could spend her life hunting for lost treasure. Until then, she writes.
Website:
I.M. Eerie
I.M. Eerie
I. M. Eerie lives alone in an old Victorian house on top of a hill. His hobbies include playing the organ, taxidermy, and scaring children through his writing. If you hear screams coming from inside his house, do not be alarmed—those are just the sounds of a scary movie.
Website: https://www.imeerie.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/imeeriebooks
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imeeriebooks/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/imeerie/
Ike Eisenmann
Ike Eisenmann
Ike was born in Houston, Texas in 1962 and at two years of age appeared on his father’s local
children’s program, The Cadet Don Show. From that very first experience a desire to be a part of television and movies grew in hm. By his ninth birthday the desire became reality and he entered show business. Ike’s career quickly took off, and by eleven years of age, he co-stared in Walt Disney’s Escape to Witch Mountain. From guest-starring roles in every iconic 1970s show from Gunsmoke to Fantasy Island, his childhood career encompassed over sixty guest-starring appearances in television including six co-starring roles for The Walt Disney Studios and a co-starring role in the NBC series The Fantastic Journey before he graduated high school.
Ike’s career seamlessly continued into adulthood and included numerous titles such as
Dreams Don’t Die, Star Trek II: the Wrath of Khan and the Academy Award nominated Cross Creek. He then left the world of on-camera acting to work in postproduction audio and provided
custom voice work for over one thousand movies.
Ike now enjoys a very busy retirement in central Florida co-hosting the Pop Culture Retro
podcast and working on several writing projects.
Facebook:
@IkeEisenmann
Twitter:
@Ike_Eisenmann
Instagram:
@Ike_Eisenmann
YouTube:
@PopCultureRetro
AJ Endrina
AJ Endrina
AJ has worked in residential and commercial finance in both the US and Australia for many years, but his real job is creating stories that can hold the interest of his young daughter for more than a few minutes.
At the age of eight, AJ migrated with his family from the Philippines. Upon arriving in San Francisco, he was inundated with a language he didn’t quite understand, much less read or write. He worked hard to adapt and eventually flourished, discovering his love of writing. He wrote short stories even as he completed his finance degree from San Francisco State University but faced a difficult choice after graduating; continue writing or take a job that offered regular paychecks.
It was only after the birth of his daughter did AJ realise the need to resurrect his creative side. While investors loved discussing financial statements, children with wild imaginations and boundless energy required something entirely different. To date, AJ can boast the creation of hundreds of magical worlds and cities, each filled with a bountiful assortment of rainbow-coloured forest animals, mythical creatures great and small, and not-too-scary space aliens, all vying for the love and favour of one Princess Charlie.
Nadja Eriksson
Nadja Eriksson
Nadja Eriksson is a writer, editor, and co-author of the forthcoming book Awaken Your Big SHE - A Pleasurable Wake-Up Call for the Feminine Body. She's spent the past 20 years studying, training, and practicing personal development, spirituality, and conscious sexuality.
After years of nomadic living out of two suitcases, she now lives in Berlin, Germany, where she likes to read lots of books, walk along the canal, hang with girlfriends, and enjoy date-nights with her Swedish husband Daniel.
Website:
Melissa Escobar
Melissa Escobar
Melissa Escobar graduated from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, California, with an MFA degree in illustration, focusing on children’s books. She has illustrated three educational paint-by-number books for children who are blind. She is now working on writing and illustrating her own stories. She is an active member of SCBWI and was a PBChat mentee in PBChat 2019. At any given time, she has at least three dragon, unicorn and dragonfly story ideas happily gamboling in her imagination. Her favorite color is blue, she loves 80’s music and adorable animals. When not working on her projects, she enjoys life in the Bay Area with her husband.
Tony Estrada
Tony Estrada
Tony Estrada is a Los Angeles-based Latino writer, producer, director, and speaker. He dove head-first into journalism and publishing while in elementary school self publishing a Saturday newspaper for the street he lived on. A passion for storytelling was born. Tony graduated from the University of Michigan in 2012 and became a teacher at his high school alma mater, where he taught film, photography, and English Literature.
Tony has always been captivated by telling thought provoking stories of empowerment, unity, and connection. Writing and speaking through a “brown-ish” lens, Tony’s stories often tie everyday personal interactions and experiences to metaphors for personal growth. His POV writing has been published in online periodicals including Thought Catalog, The Good Men Project, and Tiny Buddha.
His first article about being a male nanny for a single gay dad caring for his two foster children, was published in The Advocate and was the catalyst for the development of a TV pilot. He wrote and directed a short film that after playing the festival circuit, became the springboard for a personal-appearance school lecture series on bullying and self empowerment with the film as its foundation. The story is now being developed into a children’s graphic novel series and a television series. His films have played at film festivals across the world and spawned several projects in various stages of development.
Instagram:
@officialtonyestrada
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/officialtonyestrada/
Twitter:
@officialtonyes1
Website:
Erin Ewens
Erin Ewens
Erin Ewens was raised in Michigan. She earned an MBA degree, leading to a career in the hospitality industry.
Several years ago, she embarked with her husband and children on an international adventure, moving to Singapore and then to Switzerland, where she currently resides. She is inspired by different cultures, and hopes to weave a global footprint into her writing.
Erin’s love of writing grew while documenting the daily mishaps and heart-melting moments of motherhood. As an African-American, she is a champion of multicultural representation in the media.
In her spare time, Erin loves baking, crafting and spending outdoor time in the mountains.
Visit her at erinewens.com and twitter.com/@erinewens
Faran Fagen
Faran Fagen
Faran Fagen is the author of “The Save”, a middle grade novel about a young power pitcher’s journey through baseball, autism and love.
Faran’s a transplanted Marylander who now lives in sunny South Florida with his wife, Kara, two kids, and two dogs.
In middle school, Faran interviewed his giant Sudanese neighbor, NBA 7-foot, 6-inch center Manute Bol, for the school newspaper. From then on, he was hooked on writing sports.
In his 25 years as a journalist, Faran wrote for mlb.com and reported on family/community news for The Palm Beach Post, South Florida Parenting, and SunSentinel.
Faran’s taught high school Journalism, English and Computers for 17 years in Pembroke Pines. He directs a camp in the summers to keep his spirit young.
Faran’s also a proud parent of a 13-year-old boy on the autism spectrum who inspires him every day with his growth and persistence. “The Save” is dedicated to his son, his wife and daughter – all three of whom throw major heat.
Two little known facts about Faran are that he can recite all the lyrics to Billy Joel’s “We Didn’t Start the Fire” and lay down one of the meanest bunts in all of South Florida.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/FaranFagen
Twitter: www.twitter.com/@FaranFagen
Dana Rose Falcone
Dana Rose Falcone
Dana Rose Falcone grew up on Long Island, N.Y. loving writing and reading from a young age. In middle school, she even started her own magazine that she and her friends wrote, illustrated, printed, and distributed. A formative teenage summer spent watching MTV instead of attending camp, followed shortly after by the start of an obsession with the Jonas Brothers, turned Dana Rose into a pop culture devotee who collected teen magazine covers featuring her favorite celebrities. So after studying magazine journalism at Syracuse University, Dana Rose moved to New York City and pursued a career in celebrity and entertainment writing. She is currently a Staff Writer at People and has previously held positions at Us Weekly and Entertainment Weekly. Dana Rose has also contributed to Allure, Apartment Therapy, BestReviews, Brides, Fast Company, HuffPost, Money, Newsweek and Popular Science.
Dana Rose forayed into fiction writing thanks to her senior dachshund Pearl who inspired her to write a series of children’s books. Dana Rose goes out for holidays, especially Christmas, and enjoys baking, taking trips to the beach, catching up with friends over a bottle of wine, and attempting to recreate Pinterest-level nail art.
Twitter:
Instagram:
Christina Ferko
Christina Ferko
Christina Ferko grew up in a family of seven girls, including her identical twin sister--whom she only occasionally switched places with to confuse people. Before writing, she dreamed of running away and joining a circus. She even learned how to eat and breathe fire, but now reserves those tricks for parties instead.
Christina loves dark and magical shows like The Magicians and creepy ones like The Haunting of Hill House and most zombie movies, even if they scare her. And she never has enough time for all the k-dramas she wants to watch or books she wants to read. She’s also a fan of tattoos and hair dyed unnatural colors. Christina lives in Maryland with her husband and two kids, along with their three cats and one wild corgi. She spends her time happily at home writing and is represented by Cole Lanahan from The Seymour Agency.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChristinaFerko
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christina_ferko/
Jonny Fink
Jonny Fink
Jonny Fink was born and raised in Miami and is a graduate from UC Santa Barbara. Upon graduation, he travelled and modeled throughout Europe before returning to Los Angeles to pursue a career as an actor and a screenwriter. Eventually he became a TV and film producer and also works as a real estate agent. MEMOIRS OF A BEVERLY HILLS POOL BOY, his first book, is a collection of remarkable stories and extraordinary anecdotes uniquely experienced by the author.
Heather Fishwick
Heather Fishwick
Heather Fishwick is a writer of middle grade and young adult fantasy novels. She recently achieved distinction in her MA in Creative Writing for Children and Young Adults at Manchester Metropolitan University, working on her dissertation (a MG fantasy novel) with award winning British writer, Alex Wheatle MBE.
Heather lives in Northamptonshire, England, with her husband and three children. She works for a multi academy trust and runs a blog reviewing children’s books.
Website:
https://www.heatherfishwick.com/
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/MakexBelieve
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/heatherffishwick
Instagram:
Tonnye Fletcher
Tonnye Fletcher
Tonnye Fletcher learned to talk early, read early, and write early. And ever since, words have been as important as breathing. Tonnye is currently enjoying writing picture books that incorporate music, animals, nature, and intergenerational relationships with lots of humor and heart. She is active in SCBWI-Carolinas, and Julie Hedlund’s 12x12 Picture Book Challenge. She is also involved with the NC Reading Association, presenting annually at their state reading conference about music, reading, and writing. She also leads her local council in many community activities promoting literacy.
Tonnye holds a Master’s in Early Childhood Education, and is a national board-certified teacher who is currently teaching K-2 music in southeastern NC. She brings together her love for reading, writing, teaching, and music with a multimedia blog series called PBJamz, where she spotlights picture books with musical connections. When she’s not doing teacherly, readerly, writerly, musical things, she also enjoys hanging out by the fire pit, snuggling with her kitty, cooking, learning about nature, and traveling with her husband, Shane. They live on a farm with extended family where faith, hope, and love reign supreme, with bits of chaos mixed in to keep things real.
Tonnye is super-excited to be on this author’s journey with the witty and whimsical Joyce Sweeney as her agent.
Twitter:
@tonnyef
Facebook:
@TWFauthor
Instagram:
@tonnyefletcher67
Website: www.tonnyefletcher.com
Morgan Forté
Morgan Forté
Morgan Forté is a young adult and middle grade author. She writes in a range of genres from grounded contemporary to low fantasy, thriller, speculative, and horror. With a B.S. in Psychology and a minor in Animal Science from Clemson University, Morgan’s writing explores the natural world through an introspective lens, and focuses on the effect our planet (and its animals!) has on the human condition. Morgan’s books are often lightly based on the influence of her late grandmother’s Sioux bedtime stories.
Morgan currently lives in Nashville, Tennessee, with her Doberman Pinscher, Maverick. By day, she manages content marketing for a toy company, and in every moment between, she is busy creating new worlds.
Twitter:
@morganforte
Instagram:
@morganforte
Website:
Margaret Frattaroli
Margaret Frattaroli
Margaret Frattaroli is a Middle Grade author with a love of fantasy and adventure. They are genres that she started reading when she was told she was too young for them and continued reading when she was told she was too old for them. She comes from a family legacy of writers (including her mother and grandmother) and has wanted to be an author since before she fully understood how letters worked.
Margaret teaches history to middle school students by day and she very much hopes she makes dead people seem as interesting as fictional ones. That being said, after hours spent focusing on things that really happened, it is always a relief to write about things that didn't. Although, a bit of history works its way in on occasion anyway.
Margaret lives in Stamford, Connecticut with her mutt, Nymeria. She is a member of SCWBI.
Website: http://www.margaretfrattaroli.com
Isabella Galbraith
Isabella Galbraith
Isabella Galbraith is a young adult author from Niagara on the Lake, Canada. She is currently working towards getting her undergraduate degree at Queen’s University in English Literature and Philosophy. She’s a big fan of writing romantic comedies with sarcastic ‘unlikable’ characters (although she would argue that they are just misunderstood). If she isn’t writing or pretending to do her course work, she is probably watching Shrek 2 or at a local cafe sipping iced coffee. She is represented by Jonathan Rosen of The Seymour Agency.
Website:
Twitter:
bella_galbraith
Instagram:
bella_galbraith
Chris Garcia-Halenar
Chris Garcia-Halenar
Chris Garcia-Halenar spent the first 25+ years of his professional career in executive management. At the young age of 55, and with the birth of his second son, he chose to trade in the boardroom for the playroom and embraced the new role of Stay-at-Home parent.
He is a native Midwesterner, hailing from the great Buckeye State. Chris lived in the northeast (Nantucket, Boston, and Nashua) for over 10 years before claiming Florida as home. He and his husband Alex live in Tampa, with their two sons, Xander and Max, and the family’s uber enthusiastic golden doodle.
Besides his love of family and being a Pandemic Home School Survivor, Chris is most proud of two things: 1) his quick and cheeky sense of humor, and 2) his conviction to shine a spotlight on underrepresented communities through the art of storytelling.
When Chris is not dealing Doritos or acting as private butler/chauffeur for his pre-teen and toddler, he can be found hiding in his office writing children’s books and adult humor.
Chris is represented by Joyce Sweeney.
Website:
Twitter:
@xanmaxbooks
Instagram:
@cgarhal
Facebook Author Page:
Laura Genn
Laura Genn
Laura Genn is a YA fantasy author, fueled by caffeine and a lifelong love of words. As a former bookish child and fangirl teenager now turned overexcited adult, she’s dedicated to crafting stories that kids like her can get lost in.
When she isn’t writing, Laura is probably snuggling her three-footed cat, playing an RPG, or reading YA. She has a B.S. in Strategic Communication and works as a copywriter. She lives in a cave of treasure, somewhere in Pennsylvania, with more dragon accessories than people.
Anna Hamilton
Anna Hamilton
Anna Hamilton grew up in Southern California. Before graduating from high school, she had written several short stories, one of which was featured in the local newspaper. Shortly after high school, she married and had three beautiful boys. When her youngest started kindergarten she found a new love—reading romance! Everything changed when Anna and her family moved to Northern California a year after losing her mother. She took writing more seriously and completed her first novel.
She is incredibly fortunate to be represented by the ever patient and extremely knowledgeable Nicole Resciniti of The Seymour Agency. She has learned that perseverance, commitment, diligence, and believing in a dream are key characteristics in order to succeed. A favorite inspiration for Anna is the fortune she received in a cookie that reads, “You will become an accomplished writer.”
Currently, Anna is working on a romantic suspense series, The Warriors Code. The series is centered on an ex SEAL Team now working for the CIA.
Anna also writes Historical Romance as Harper McLaine.
If you would like to know more about Anna, please visit the following links:
Facebook: facebook.com/Author.Anna.Hamilton
Twitter: https://twitter.com/annah_author
Website: www.annahamiltonbooks.com
Guitar Hanna
Guitar Hanna
Guitar Hanna is a first generation Coptic-Egyptian American. She lives in a quaint town in Central Oregon with her sarcastic husband, three energetic daughters, and furry dog. As a family they enjoy the outdoors and traveling the world together, exploring new cultures one adventure at a time. Guitar graduated with honors from the University of California Irvine, where she published scientific research. She also graduated from medical school and participated in an aerospace medicine rotation with NASA at the Kennedy Space Center. Guitar completed her pediatric residency in Detroit, Michigan and serves as a pediatrician and the medical director of a child advocacy center. Guitar’s journey of motherhood and her professional career in medicine have directly inspired her to write children’s picture books that broaden young readers’ understanding of our fascinating and diverse world. Guitar is dedicated to writing stories for early readers—to foster their growth and development, and perhaps shape the adults they will become. Her lyrical words blend her love of science with her passion for writing books for children.
Twitter:
@GuitarHanna
Website: https://guitarhanna.com
Rachel Haynes
Rachel Haynes
Rachel Haynes has always loved words. She’s worked with language in many capacities—as a student of English literature, an English language teacher, a student of linguistics, a technical writer, and, of course, a reader of everything. She’s been dancing around creative writing for her whole life and finally had the guts to pursue writing for children.
When she’s not writing, Rachel can be found enjoying the canyons and national parks near her home in Salt Lake City, Utah with her husband and daughters. She might also be wandering through the natural history museum or bothering booksellers at her local bookstore.
Website: rachelhaynesbooks.com
Twitter:
Bethanie Baker Henderson
Bethanie Baker Henderson
Bethanie worked in marketing and market research in the publishing and insurance industries and at a casket company before committing her time to writing picture books. She is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators and has worked with youth ages K-12 in her community church and school district. She has a B.A. in Psychology and a concentration in English from Columbia University, as well as an MBA from the University of Michigan.
She enjoys learning about new underwater discoveries, space exploration and everything in between. Bethanie lives with her husband, two remarkable daughters and their cat in eastern PA.
Website: www.WhenReadingMatters.com
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/bbakerhenderson/ Twitter:
https://twitter.com/BBakerHenderson Facebook:
Steve Hickner
Steve Hickner
Steve Hickner has been telling stories for decades. He is credited as a producer/director on films, television, and theme park rides. His collaborators include: Steven Spielberg, Jerry Seinfeld, Stephen Schwartz (Wicked), Jeffrey Katzenberg, and many other notables.
Awards: Broadcast Film Critics Association, Critics Choice Movie Award, Zagreb Film Festival, Anima Mundi Film Festival
Website:
Social Media:
@HicknerSteve
Patrick Hicks
Patrick Hicks
Patrick Hicks is known as the preeminent music storyteller of the social media platform TikTok, with over 120,000 followers and millions of views and likes. He is the son of two journalists, so storytelling has always been in his blood. But his passion over the course of his life has been music. Beginning at 13 he started playing guitar and playing in bands. In his 20s he worked booking shows throughout Southern California and worked as a booking agent at the world famous Whisky a Go-Go on the Sunset Strip. He got a certificate in Music Business from the Musicians Institute in Hollywood. Then he decided that he needed to take a sharp left turn in life and went to law school. He graduated with honors from the University of Illinois College of Law in 2013. It was there that he developed the meticulous research skills that serve him so well as a rock historian and music storyteller today. He has been invited to cover music festivals and his videos have been covered by radio stations and music publications such as the New Musical Express (NME).
TikTok:
@patrickhicks82
Instagram: PatrickHicksMusicStories
Twitter:
@PatrickHicks82
Kyan Howland
Kyan Howland
Kyan is an award-winning Singer/Songwriter and Author. Her love of instruments from handpan to acoustic guitar, and her four octave voice make for an incredible reading and keynote. Studying with Bobby McFerrin and earning her Masters in Creative Writing, she innovates with word and sound. Westside Voice wrote “she enchanted both young and old”.
She created the Lullaby Club online, where her stories, songs, and ASMR relax the whole family. Her social media LIVES reach thousands and she’s been featured on Public Radio, as well as being a popular artist-in-residence at schools, hospitals, and conferences. She painted her blue convertible with magical images from her stories and songs with the help of friends, and is beloved as the singing nurse.
Having worked hospice and behavioral health, she knows the edge where a child jumps from a window and a grandmother reveals her secret cinnamon bun recipe with her last breath. Her own NDE gave her a love life to cloud nine and a bravery to advocate for the planet and LGBTQ community.
She lives on the shores of a great lake with her cat Vega, and they both turn mermaid on Saturdays, because life is too brief and beautiful, not to!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/secretmermaidstuff
Email: [email protected]
Instagram:
@kyanmermaid
Twitter:
@MermaidKyan
Kevin E. Jackson
Kevin E. Jackson
Kevin E. Jackson writes middle grade and young adult fantasy novels that blend the action and adventure of modern-day blockbuster movies with positive messages for young readers. Kevin is a happily married father of five, an information technology manager for a pharmaceutical company, and an adjunct professor of IT at several universities. However, his heart doesn’t live within cyber-security processes or virtual machine computing, but in creating immersive fantasy tales based on positive, Christian themes.
With scores of unwritten stories hovering in his mind, he spent the last ten years learning the craft of writing. Kevin honed his skills within online writer’s groups then found bestselling author mentors willing to share their wisdom.
He believes in increased diversity in fantasy, so each story organically features mixed-race characters and characters of color in leading roles. He is also a musician, playing both guitar and drums, and as a result his books have songs as central plot elements.
At the core of Kevin’s writing is a love of children; he longs to see today’s young readers learn from his stories much as he did reading the fantasy masters of the past.
Website: www.KevinEJackson.com
Twitter:
@TheTomeWriter
Instagram:
@TheTomeWriter
Facebook: Facebook.com/TheTomeWriter
Mary Jordan-Smith
Mary Jordan-Smith
I was born in the Bible belt and grew up in a warm family of hearty laughers and voracious readers. I discovered the magic transport of reading at an early age and escaped on many adventures to strange new lands. Growing up in middle Tennessee, I visited often at my grandparents' farm in the rural hills, where the flat, stony banks of their creek was an incubator for my imagination. I thought up marvelous worlds and planned adventures floating down that creek on a raft, Huck style. I wrote my first story in the fourth grade. It was called Planet Kaler.
My mother was an English teacher who read novels aloud to us on long road trips. I minored in English, but with so much road trip instruction already, I got my BA in Mathematics. I spent two decades developing systems in corporate America and completing my MBA. After graduate school, I pursued what started in the fourth grade, during weekends and vacations. I spent hundreds of hours taking writing classes and studying the craft with a serious goal to become a published author.
I write middle grade sci fi about a clever, but insecure, eleven-year-old and his special dog. I live in Tampa with my husband and two special Yorkies who inspire me daily.
Website:
Twitter: [email protected]
L.L. Kaplan
L.L. Kaplan
L.L. Kaplan is an attorney and former prosecutor who spent twenty years as an FBI Special Agent. After never finding one X-file, she gave-up and retired. Now she pens crime fiction where justice prevails, but doesn’t always end in handcuffs. She also writes stories featuring talking turkeys, clever cats and other snarky sorts. When not writing, she can be found baking something killer, jogging with friends, plotting mischief or planting sunflowers. She lives in a small town on a Great Lake with her husband and one very spoiled rescued house panther.
Website:
Facebook Page:
LLKaplan, @LLKaplanAuthor
Instagram:
LLKaplanAuthor
Twitter:
LLKaplan, @LLKaplanAuthor
Pinterest:
LLKaplanAuthor
Email:
Hannah Kates
Hannah Kates
Hannah Kates never means to get into trouble, but she always manages to do so, anyway. As a full-time author and part-time ghost, she’s chalked up misadventures all around the world. Between being shanghaied along with the French Foreign Legion, escaping Montenegrin castles, and eulogizing at rat funerals, she keeps herself busy.
Hannah specializes in middle grade horror, but you can also find her penning tales of cowboy werewolves and insidious alpine hotels. When she’s not writing, she’s usually skulking around cemeteries, giving tours through haunted cities, or playing honky-tonk piano.
Website: https://authorhannahkates.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HannahKates1
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorhkates/
Blog: https://thenewbieauthor.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hkates710/
Jessica Keith
Jessica Keith
Jessica Keith is a professional lecturer at San Diego State University and as the mother of three littles (ages 4, 8, and 10). When she is not teaching Cross-Cultural Communication, in the Department of Journalism and Media Studies, managing her own tiny humans, or making a snack, she is working on her memoir, “Saying Inshallah with Chutzpah.” Jessica's bluntness combined with vulnerability has grown her audience with publications in The New York Times, Kveller, McSweeney's, Scary Mommy, Uptown News, Sammiches and Psych Meds, PJ Library, Medium, and Blunt Moms. As a freelance writer, she intertwines Jewish culture with Black ties, love, motherhood, mental health, and celebrities.
Her publications are chronicled at www.jessicakeithwriter.com.
Erin Kennemer
Erin Kennemer
Erin Kennemer is a YA fiction author of several short stories and novels. She studied creative writing at Texas A&M University and continues to owe them money to this day.
Her speculative fiction has appeared both in print and online. Currently, she writes regular advice and travel articles for Vrbo. On her off days, you can find her elbow-deep in the dirt, either gardening or burying another body. If you want on her good side, bring chips and guac.
Andrea Kilpatrick
Andrea Kilpatrick
Andrea Kilpatrick writes middle grade fantasy adventure where kids, especially those not usually seen, explore incredible new worlds. Her own adventures began in the suburbs of Philadelphia, armed with a dog-eared library card and her loyal hamster. Andrea wandered through wardrobes and tollbooths and into magical lands full of possibilities. Now, she wanders in the real world. Recent stops include New York, Miami, San Francisco, Jamaica, Gabon and the UK. A recovering attorney, Andrea has also been a strategy consultant, social entrepreneur and leadership advisor. Currently, Andrea lives in New York where she eats far too much take out. It’s so good! She loves the ocean, a good hike and has never met a sunset that didn’t move her to tears.
Dee Knabb
Dee Knabb
From Bar Harbor, ME to Key West, FL and points in between, Dee moved every few years as a child. Luckily, she loved each school, learning, reading, creating art and making friends. She earned her BA degree in Art History from Emory University and a M.Ed. in Educational Leadership from FAU. She thought she'd work in a museum but discovered she loved teaching, especially grades K-5.
As a mother, teacher and school principal, she wanted children to feel the magic of books and the joy of reading. Classroom experience and bedtime stories for her own kids inspired another desire — to write for children. On the job, she wrote curriculum, grants, and articles for teachers but longed to create her own stories.
After leaving the educational world, she learned and networked with the kidlit community in SCBWI, 12x12 Picture Book Challenge, Inked Voices, Storyteller Academy, and the Writing Barn. She's always on the lookout for ideas that make kids ask questions, wonder, and want to know more.
Dee and her husband live in south Florida. At every chance, they visit their four children, six grandchildren, and menagerie of grand-pets.
Website:
Twitter:
@mdknabb
Facebook:
Instagram:
@ddknabb
C.J. Kudlacz
C.J. Kudlacz
A military brat, C.J. Kudlacz grew up all over the USA and strives to incorporate this atypical perspective and sense of place into his characters and settings. He has worked as a bartender, a stage and voiceover actor, and has traveled the world flying jets for both military and civilian organizations – all outstanding ways to find and tell stories. A 1997 graduate of the University of Notre Dame, he also has a M.A. from the University of Oklahoma. He lives in Utah.
Donna and Paul Kurtz
Donna and Paul Kurtz
When Donna Kurtz was 3-years-old, her mother put her into the stroller once a week and walked fifteen blocks from their apartment to the library. Little Donna toddled home hanging onto the stroller since it was filled with children’s and adult’s books. Whew! Was she ever tired. That’s how she discovered books and words. Now many years later, she co-authors with her brother Paul Kurtz fast-paced, funny PB, MG and chapter books featuring the adventurous kids she always wanted to read about and lyrical stories about nature. She still walks to the library.
Donna has a B.A in English and a B.F.A in Painting from Florida International University and an M.F.A in Painting from the University of Miami. As well as teaching art and humanities at university level, she has taught adult-education creative writing and art in elementary schools. She is a member of SCBWI and active in two mind-blowingly fantastic South Florida SCBWI critique groups.
From the time he laughed at his first nursery rhyme, Paul Kurtz has loved books. He became a dedicated reader and discovered how books sparked his imagination, transporting him through time and space to worlds he never dreamed of. While pursuing careers as an attorney and then videographer, Paul has always made time for books. With co-author and sister Donna Kurtz, Paul writes fast-paced, funny PB, MG and chapter books to encourage reluctant readers to explore the fun of reading. Enjoying hiking, canoeing and snorkeling in the South Florida environment, he and Donna also write books to inspire children’s love of nature and to convey the importance of protecting it.
Paul holds a B.A from the University of Miami in Psychology and a J.D. from Levin Law School at the University of Florida. He is a member of SCBWI and participates in two earth-shatteringly great South Florida SCBWI critique groups.
Allison Lau
Allison Lau
Allison Lau draws endless inspiration from the people and animals around her. She’s currently a PhD student at the University of California, Davis; her research focuses on animal behavior, specifically the social behavior of monkeys and apes. When she’s not writing fiction, Allison can be found preparing scientific papers and serving as the Editor-in-Chief for the official blog of the UC Davis Animal Behavior Graduate Group: The Ethogram.
When she's not working, Allison enjoys traveling with her husband, snuggling her two cats, corralling her latest litter of foster kittens, and devouring a good book with a glass of wine.
Twitter:
@AllisonRLau
Instagram:
@allisonlau.writes
Alex Leeds
Alex Leeds
Alex Leeds is a comedian and artist from Cincinnati. His work has been featured on the A.V. Club and Buzzfeed. He also performs stand up comedy across the midwest and is an accomplished animator. He painted all 72 'NOW' CD covers for his most recent art exhibit 'NOW That's What I Call an Art Exhibit!' in 2020.
Check out his work on Instagram @dumbcelebdrawings
Sarah Lindauer
Sarah Lindauer
Sarah writes books for MG and YA audiences, because those are the people who still have magic in their hearts.
She grew up in Montana, and while her first love will forever be Big Sky Country, she currently lives in Colorado with her crazy-supportive husband and three crazy-wonderful kids.
Sarah is the librarian for a rural K-12 school and currently has way too many dogs, way too many horses, and even a couple of squirrely goats (against her better judgement).
Chris Low
Chris Low
Chris Low is a children's writer and elementary school teacher outside of Philadelphia, PA. He draws inspiration from the organized chaos of his special education classroom and the perpetually surprising wit of his own students. In addition to his middle grade book projects, Chris has published several award-winning short stories with Highlights for Children and Cricket magazine. Chris is married with two young boys and a dog who will eat literally anything. He spends most of his free time running, hiking, and negotiating with preschoolers.
Website:
Facebook:
www.facebook/com/chrislowauthor
Twitter:
@chrislowauthor
Shariya Lynn
Shariya Lynn
Shariya Lynn grew up in the burbs of Seattle where she was raised on sci-fi movies, video games, and went to hundreds of concerts as a music journalist. She’s a film school dropout that placed in the Oscars’ Nicholl Fellowship and has writing and directing credits on produced movies. After living in Chicago for school and Los Angeles for years she’s settled down in the most beautiful place on the world, Hawaii and she wouldn’t have it any other way.
Ronna Mandel
Ronna Mandel
Ronna Mandel is a freelance writer and former associate editor at L.A. Parent. Working at the parenting magazine sparked her interest in children's books and she’s been reviewing them, interviewing authors and illustrators, and promoting reading-related events on her blog, www.GoodReadsWithRonna.com since 2009. She is also a contributing writer at Jewish Life Magazine of the San Gabriel and Pomona Valleys.
Ronna writes quirky picture books featuring unique main characters, wordplay, and themes of inclusivity and friendship. As an active member of SCBWI’s L.A. region, she’s co-coordinated the Pasadena Authors + Illustrators Mingle for seven years. She attends Storyteller Academy and also participates in 12 x 12, Storystorm, and the annual #PBChallenge. Before having children, Ronna traveled the world for several tour operators and gave educational seminars across the U.S. to introduce travel agents to foreign destinations including Russia, Eastern Europe and India. Having lived in London and Frankfurt with her husband and children for 10 years, Ronna is a tea and biscuit (cookies) loving, schnitzel and pretzel hooked nosher who cannot get enough of travel, museums, Masterpiece Mysteries and Antiques Roadshow. She is passionate about Paris, anything purple, standard poodles, her husband, two children and their rescue kitties.
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/goodreadswithronna
Twitter:
www.twitter.com/RonnaWriter and www.twitter.com/goodreadsronna
Instagram:
Isabelle Martinsen
Isabelle Martinsen
Isabelle is an author of young and new adult fiction. She writes in a range of genres from thriller to low fantasy, magical realism, and dystopian. As an avid reader, Isabelle writes the books she would look for on a bookshelf. She loves to include shocking twists, delicious sexual tension, churning angst, and sarcastic banter in her books.
When she isn’t writing, Isabelle can be found at her day job as an attendance clerk and assistant dean of students at a middle/high school in Gilbert, Arizona. Otherwise, she’s likely wandering the aisles of Target, taking her cat on a walk in his stroller with her husband, or rereading one of her favorite comfort novels.
Website: https://izmartinsenauthor.wixsite.com/izmartinsen
Twitter: https://twitter.com/izmartinsen
Tiktok: https://tiktok.com/@isabelle99c
Instagram: https://instagram.com/isabelle_martinsen
Maggie Marton
Maggie Marton
Maggie Marton is an award-winning writer based in the Indianapolis area. She covers dogs, cats, kids, and often the intersection of all three for print and online publications. She earned her master’s degree in narrative nonfiction from The Johns Hopkins University. She’s the blogger behind Oh My Dog! (ohmydogblog.com), which has appeared in The New York Times, Animal Wellness Magazine, and Dog Fancy.
Maggie frequently appears on podcasts, as a guest blogger, and a conference speaker. She’s written for publications like Pet Age Magazine, Bust Magazine, Bloom Magazine, PetGuide.com, and Victoria Stilwell’s Positively.com. Her essays have appeared in anthologies, including SECOND-CHANCE CATS, CHRISTMAS CATS, and THE BUST DIY GUIDE TO LIFE.
Her work has received numerous awards from the Cat Writers’ Association, the Dog Writers Association of America, DogTime Media, Fear Free Pets, and the American Association of Feline Practitioners. Maggie shares her home with a small zoo that includes cats, dogs, fish, kids, and a husband who only wants noise-canceling headphones for his birthday.
Website:
Blog:
Instagram:
@maggiemarton
Twitter:
@maggiemarton
Phyllis Zimbler Miller
Phyllis Zimbler Miller
Phyllis Zimbler Miller is a Los Angeles screenwriter (film and TV), book author, playwright, and former U.S. Army Mrs. Lieutenant who worked as a Department of the Army civilian in counterintelligence in Munich during the Cold War. She grew up in Elgin, Illinois, earning her B.A. in Journalism at Michigan State University and her M.B.A. in Finance at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Phyllis’ military writing has been awarded a Nicholl Fellowship quarterfinalist and an Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award semifinalist. She has been the co-host of a BlogTalkRadio military interview show and a member of the Department of Defense’s Bloggers Roundtable.
She is currently the co-host of the NEVER AGAIN IS NOW podcast about antisemitism on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts and she blogs at the Times of Israel.
Excerpts from her nonfiction Holocaust theater project www.ThinEdgeOfTheWedge.com – developed to educate about the Holocaust and to combat antisemitism – were featured in the U.S. Ramstein Air Force base Holocaust remembrance event held April 28, 2022.
Phyllis is a member of Women in Film, the Dramatists Guild, the Alliance for Jewish Theatre, the Association for Holocaust Organizations, and the Military Writers Society of America.
Website: www.PhyllisZimblerMiller.com
Twitter: http://twiter.com/ZimblerMiller
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/phylliszimblermiller
Jessica Milo
Jessica Milo
Jessica Milo is a former preschool French teacher and is now a full-time picture book writer. She received her bachelor’s degree in French Studies from CSU Sacramento and taught French in after-school programs and French immersion schools for ten years. She left teaching in 2021 to focus on her other passion: writing humorous and heartfelt children’s books.
After university, she and her husband lived in the Auvergne region of France for eight months while she taught English in elementary schools. Her favorite places they traveled to were Barcelona, Rome, Bologna, Paris, Marseille, and the Alsace region.
An active member of SCBWI and Julie Hedlund’s 12x12 Picture Book Challenge, Jessica is also a Children’s Book Academy and Renee LaTulippe’s Lyrical Language Lab graduate. She is a 2022 #KidLitVibes Twitter Contest Winner and participates in the Courage to Create community.
Jessica resides in Portland, Oregon with her wonderful husband and their two cuddly cats (whom she talks to incessantly). She can be found reading, writing, hiking, playing video games and art junk journaling. Jessica hopes to one day build a marvelous catio, visit and volunteer at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Utah, and do more international traveling.
Website:
Coming soon!
Twitter:
@JessicaMMilo
Aida Victoria Moussavi
Aida Victoria Moussavi
Aida Victoria Moussavi is an Iranian American from the Deep South. She grew up speaking a mixture of Farsi, English, Azerbaijani Turkish and hearing fascinating stories in each language that fueled a lifelong interest in history, and tales from around the world. She lives in Houston with her cats, finches, and fish and is forever chasing the ultimate career goal of being the neighborhood cat lady.
Yvette Nipar
Yvette Nipar
Yvette spent two decades as a successful working actor, beginning with a contract role on General Hospital, then guest-starring on numerous primetime TV shows, from Melrose Place to CSI. Yvette had a recurring role on 21 Jump Street, in which she played Johnny Depp’s girlfriend, and was a series regular on RoboCop: The Series. Yvette Nipar/IMDB After the disappearance of her son’s father, she took a break from acting and started a small business, Be So Do So.
Yvette published her first article this year on MEDIUM.COM, generating a request from one of Australia’s morning shows to discuss her friendship with Olivia Newton-John, and is privileged to be featured in a chapter of WISDOM OF WILDLY CREATIVE WOMEN by Angela LoMenzo, published March 2023, where she discusses her memoir and the process of moving on through writing.
Yvette is a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for abused and neglected children in foster care. With over 30,000 children in LA County’s welfare system, she offers hope, support, and encouragement to children in need.
Her greatest accomplishment is her son, Chance, an incredible young man, thriving as a professional musician, and an all-around good human.
Website:
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/yvettenipar/
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/YvetteMNipar
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/YvetteNipar
Nelly Nuñez
Nelly Nuñez
Nelly Nuñez was born and raised in the heart of Los Angeles. One of her very first jobs was working in an after-school program, where she fell in love with helping children and families. She earned a B.A in Child and Adolescent Development from CSU-Northridge. Nelly spent most of her career in the classroom, nurturing children's love of learning and sparking an interest in literacy. That is how she fell in love with picture books.
Nelly now lives in Salt Lake City with her husband and daughter. She was an Early Childhood Specialist before entering the realm of motherhood. No amount of education and experience would prepare her for the love and worry that comes with raising her own. Becoming a mother sparked the creativity and courage to pursue her dream of writing for children. Nelly hopes to spread smiles, touch hearts, and fill bookshelves with love and joy.
Twitter:
@writes4smiles
Christine Organ
Christine Organ
Christine Organ is a writer in the Chicago area where she lives with her husband, two sons, and two dogs. In addition to her freelance writing career, she writes about contemporary spirituality and the depths of human connection.
Her writing focuses on seeking grace in the everyday, celebrating life’s ordinary miracles, bridging the gap between the spiritual and the secular, and drawing inspiration from the soulful tales that live within all of us. Aside from her own website, she regularly writes for the Huffington Post. Her works appeared in an anthology of spiritual essays.
She obtained her and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1999. She later earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 2002.
Blog: http://www.christineorgan.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RandomReflectionz
Twitter:
@christineorgan
Rebecca Papin
Rebecca Papin
Originally from Franklin, Tennessee, Rebecca attended Christ Presbyterian Academy before heading to Paris, France for college. After receiving a Bachelor of Arts in Comparative Literature from The American University of Paris, Rebecca lived in Chicago, Manhattan, La Jolla, Paris, the South of France, Dubai, Singapore and Tokyo, before returning to Singapore, where she currently lives with her French husband, Sébastien, and two children, Louis and Violette. They pass their summers at their beach house in the South of France.
Fluent in French, Rebecca is also conversational in Japanese.
Having visited nearly sixty countries, international travel is a major passion in Rebecca's life, but there is nowhere she enjoys being more than back in Tennessee, specifically walking around Radnor Lake with her Dad or visiting her Uncle Charles and Aunt Lynn at their farm in Altamont.
Rebecca is represented by Julie Gwinn and Elisa Houot.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rebeccaelizabethpapin/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/rebeccapapin
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rebeccapapin/
Khushboo Patel
Khushboo Patel
Khushboo Patel grew up in Baroda (a not-so-small city in India), earned a law degree in Mumbai and a master’s degree at Oxford University, moved to Florida to marry her childhood friend, gave up her law career, started a business, and sold it a few years ago to start her two forever adventures – motherhood and writing for children - where she oscillates between finding and losing herself.
She writes emotional picture books filled with lyricism and heart and aspires to one day finish writing the novel of her heart. The desire for a more empathetic world informs and underlines everything she writes.
She likes all books but loves lyrical picture books and coming-of-age stories about ‘ordinary’
people.
Being an author has been a childhood dream and she’s thrilled to be pursuing it with Joyce Sweeney by her side.
Twitter:
@Khushboo1720
Instagram: @khushboo.patel.1720
Website: www.khushboo-patel.com
Dene Plews
Dene Plews
Dene Plews is an Indigenous storyteller native to the Treaty 8 region of Canada. She writes everything from contemporary romance featuring BIPOC characters to horror stories inspired by folklore specific to her Cree heritage, but her passion lies in YA fantasy.
In 2022, Dene’s article ‘Heart Medicine’ was published in YMM Magazine. She was later asked to adapt one of her short stories to film for the Connection to the Land series. THE WIDOWMAKER premiered at the Buffy’s Award Show in October 2022.
Dene draws inspiration from her life experience as an Indigenous woman, her studies at the University of Alberta and pieces of her Norwegian-English ancestry. Dene is obsessed with music, and when she’s not writing, she can be found gallivanting about the woods with a camera in hand, mind-mapping her next big fantasy adventure or at the nearest pizza place with a green tea lemonade.
She currently resides with her husband and their two children in the lush forests of his native community.
Instagram: Instagram.com/dene.lynn
Twitter:
@dene_lynn
TikTok:
@dene.lynn
Kristin Prouty
Kristin Prouty
Kristin Prouty has spent the past twenty-five years working in the entertainment, media and self-help industries. Kristin has run publicity campaigns for masters in the self-help industry, including Dr. Joe Dispenza, Ed Mylett, Maria Menounos, and others. She has crossed all corners of pop culture by working with enormous brands and celebrities, including building the Entertainment Relations division for WWE (as Senior Vice President) and producing celebrities like the Rock, JoJo Siwa, Matthew McConnaughey, Hugh Jackman, Jon Stewart, the Bella Twins, Logan Paul, Johnny Knoxville, Snoop Dogg, and many others.
Since the death of her mother, Kristin has invested in growing three businesses that contribute to self-help and empowerment: Journey10X.com and www.Journey8.com are media platforms that generate content that empowers, uplifts and inspires. Journey 8’s non-profit - www.HeroesJourney.com - is an empowerment curriculum in schools that helps kids take a stand around personal issues and develop a talk around it to produce to their communities. Heroes Journey has been tested in schools nationally and is also currently being taught in Malaysia.
Kristin received a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the Tisch Film School at New York University (Dramatic Writing) and has written twelve screenplays and two books.
Instagram:
@journey8ten
@WWE
Tik Tok:
@WWE
Twitter:
@WWE
Facebook:
@WWE
Katherine Quinn
Katherine Quinn
Katherine Quinn is a fantasy romance author and poet. She graduated from the University of Central Florida with a degree in psychology. She resides in Houston, Texas with her husband and three children.
Her love for writing began after she read her first fantasy series, Song of the Lioness, by Tamora Pierce. After that, she wanted nothing more than to be a dagger-wielding heroine. Unfortunately, it’s frowned upon to give a child a dagger, so she settled on writing about daring adventures instead.
Coffee is her true love, and she believes anything can be fixed with Starbucks and dark humor.
Instagram:
@Katherinequinnwrites
DeBora Rachelle
DeBora Rachelle
From sewing handbags out of forgotten denim to spearheading a prom dress empire, fashion designer, CEO, Inventor, DeBora Rachelle, reached the #1 most recognized name in prom dress designers. She's been featured in every major teen magazine such as Seventeen, Cosmopolitan, Glamour, and Teen, to name a few. Her dresses were on Broadway, in major movies, on red carpets, in TV shows, and seen on celebrities. She operated five factories in China, importing/exporting dresses all over the world. She holds several patents, owns commercial ventures/strip malls with valuable knowledge in real estate and leasing. Prior to being the first dress store on the internet 1994 (which had 45 million hits organically), she owned a successful chain of retail stores. She was the publisher/owner of the nationally distributed Prom Magazine (sold in book and grocery store throughout the USA).
She holds two bachelor degrees (business/communications) and achieved CFM certification in festival/event management.
She’s an avid animal lover and past Animal Allies board member where she developed their #1 fundraising event. She takes pride that her product inventions are animal-friendly. She is community-orientated and has brought a failing park out of indebtedness by single-handedly starting Art in Bayfront Park.
Producers made a movie about her career entitled, “Confessions of a Fashion Designer.”
D.S. Rae
D.S. Rae
D.S. Rae writes dark Young Adult stories across all genres. With an insatiable love for the macabre, she aims to show how we all have a little darkness in us, but that doesn’t mean we can’t be the hero. As a member of the community herself, LGBTQ+ characters and body diversity are of the utmost importance in any story she writes.
Born and raised in Northern California, she lives happily surrounded by gorgeous oak trees, two trouble making pups, and her wonderful husband. Destiny has worked as both a literary and editorial intern with hopes to one day branch out further into the publishing industry. Though, for now, she’s happy to be able to sell books to hungry readers at her local B&N. Books are quite literally her life.
(Pronouns: She/They)
Twitter:
@DestinyRaeSmith
Instagram:
books_by_destiny
TikTok:
@des_rae111
Kyle Reardon
Kyle Reardon
Kyle Reardon absolutely has to tell stories. He’s been writing and drawing his entire life and even went so far as to get a degree in Creative Writing from the University of Washington. A lover of all things spooky, Kyle particularly loves writing stories about little monsters and drawing the worlds they live in. He currently lives in beautiful, historic Alexandria, Virginia, which he’s pretty sure is haunted by SOMETHING. Maybe it’ll let him write a story about it!
Website: www.kylereardonart.com
Twitter:
@kylereardon
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/KyleReardonAuthor
Instagram: @kylereardonillustration
Jamie Rodarte
Jamie Rodarte
Jamie Rodarte (she/her) adores all things picture books. So much so, she has a front yard library dedicated to children’s books only. Jamie writes stories to bring smiles to young minds and relatability to diverse kids. Being a multicultural kid, it was a challenge to find characters like herself in books.
When not immersed in kidlit you can find Jamie planning ways to be more environmentally focused, researching her next plant-based meal, supervising slime batch #7,212,322, and consistently fueling her ventures with iced tea. The granddaughter of Mexican immigrants, first in her family to receive a bachelor’s degree (UCI), Latinx proud, and an animal lover; she lives in California with her family and many adored pets.
Jamie is active with SCBWI, 12x12, and founder of Picture Book Power Hour – a free, monthly workshop of writing-based exercises.
Jamie is glowing with gratitude to be represented by the ever-talented Joyce Sweeney.
You can find out more here:
Website:
Twitter:
@WritingKidLit
Allison Rozo
Allison Rozo
Allison Rozo is a picture book writer and artist. She writes bilingual stories with her Colombian native husband Rafael Rozo, to weave together their two cultures, as well as stories in English. She creates illustrations, designs t-shirts, and paints portraits. She is represented by literary agent Elisa Houot with The Seymour Agency.
Allison received her BFA from Miami University of Ohio in the History of Art and Architecture and she studied Graphic Design at Harrington College of Design in Chicago. She attended Loyola University Chicago, receiving her Certificate in Paralegal Studies, and was a litigation paralegal at Baker & McKenzie LLP.
Allison can be found on Twitter @allison_rozo and on Instagram @allisonrozo.
Rafael Rozo
Rafael Rozo
Rafael Rozo is a native of Colombia who immigrated to the United States. He and his wife, Allison Rozo, write bilingual English and Spanish picture books to weave together his Hispanic and American cultures. He is proud to create books that represent himself and his two children.
Rafael graduated from the Universidad Nacional de Colombia with a degree in Information Systems, Computer Science. He received a master’s degree in Business Administration from Universidad de La Salle. Rafael is the co-owner of the Quimera Group, a US based consultancy firm.
Rachel Russell
Rachel Russell
Rachel Russell is a young adult author whose work falls into the fantasy and horror genres. She works full-time as a freelance content writer for various clients.
When not writing, she tries to squeeze in time binge-watching anime and C-dramas. She lives in Kansas with her husband, two children, three cats, and a dog.
If you would like to know more about Rachel, please visit the following links:
Website: https://rachelrussellbooks.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorRachelRussell/
Twitter:
@RachelxRussell
Tahereh Safavi
Tahereh Safavi
Tahereh Safavi is half-Iranian, half-Chinese, all improv kid. Whether in dance, theatre, or circus, if it's ensemble improvised, she's down. As a performer, she was ‘born’ at the Bristol Renaissance Faire, where she learned to make history engaging for a non-academic audience. She is a contributing expert for Dan Koboldt’s Fact In Fantasy (Penguin 2022) and editor-in-chief at the Ubergroup, a 200-person intensive writer's workshop. She's currently based in NYC.
Marcy Salenieks
Marcy Salenieks
Marcy Salenieks is a picture book writer and native Jersey girl at heart, though she has been living in Florida for the last 25 years. Ever since she can recall, writing has been her main source of creative expression, particularly poetry and songwriting. As a teen, MANY angst-ridden tales of love were written with boxes of tissues on hand. She has always been swept away by beautiful language. A joyful experience, she wrote the lyrics to a song sung at her wedding by a well-known Nashville singer-songwriter.
Writing picture books that stir the heart, and tickle the funny bone, is what she calls her “out of body” experience where she loses all sense of time. Creating characters that children can feel connected to, and inspired by, is what makes writing magical for her, and bringing stories filled with laughter, hope, and wonder to children’s lives, is her greatest dream.
Her other passion is her career as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, in which she had a private practice while raising her now three young adult sons. and which now keeps her busy as a Therapeutic Educational Consultant helping families of children and teens. She can be seen happily flipping back and forth all day between writing and helping families.
In her spare time, she and her husband love trotting around the globe and soaking up unique experiences and cultures, many of which are whipped into creative concoctions in the kitchen. A music nut, she can be found on most weekends at local live music venues and concerts…and always in the front row dancing!
Twitter:
@MarcySalenieks
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MarcyDorfmanSalenieks
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marcysalenieks/
DC Sayre
DC Sayre
In his day job DC made vampires explode, giant robots battle, and apes take over the world. A military veteran and veteran behind the camera or animating on over a hundred commercials, a dozen films and a few tv shows, DC writes fish-out-of-water horror and thrillers and looks forward to bringing those vivid stories to life on the page with the help of literary agent and talented writer, Jonathan Rosen and the Seymour Agency.
And he thinks the Wicked Witch of the East got a raw deal.
Laurie Schlisner
Laurie Schlisner
Through poetry, prose and non-fiction, Laurie is on a mission to help others discover and thrive in their unique human blueprint. A survivor, Life Coach, nature-lover and artist, Laurie writes from deep wells of experience, marking the trail on her path to deeper engagement, meaningful impact and less stress through simpler, more honest living. Laurie approaches life as she does a canvas, finding treasure in the little things, and celebrating beauty through writing, painting, baking and gardening.
Despite an insatiable curiosity and seemingly endless list of interests, her faith and her family are top priority. She and husband Grant enjoy collaborative play in woodcraft, Celtic music, and beekeeping, ever dreaming of more time with children Kelli, Katherine, Jackson and Graceann. They live in Nashville, Tennessee but dream of life in the Scottish Highlands.
Website: https://bloomlifecoach.wordpress.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LaurieSoileau
Kelly Scott
Kelly Scott
When Kelly graduated with two degrees in Accounting, she had no plans of becoming a writer until a picture in People magazine sparked an idea and her romance writing journey began. She resides near Dallas, Texas with her illustrator husband and her two boys. When she isn't writing or solving math problems, she enjoys reading, baking, watching football, and spending time with her family. She is a member of ACFW.
Website:
Instagram:
Facebook:
Twitter:
Holly Searcy
Holly Searcy
Holly Searcy is a self-avowed nerd and lover of all things words. An avid reader and writer, she earned a degree in English and creative writing in college before diving into the world of publishing. A four-year detour took her to the rat-race realm of marketing and advertising before she came to her senses and returned to her true love: books. When she’s not reading, writing, or playing Dungeons & Dragons, she’s probably watching a superhero movie or enjoying a nice pinot with friends. She lives in Southern Oregon with her husband, two wonderful black cats, and a crazy orange tabby who just might be Armageddon incarnate.
Instagram:
@hollysearcyofficial
Twitter:
@holly_searcy
Reverend Salvador SeBasco
Reverend Salvador SeBasco
Reverend Salvador SeBasco is the founder of Sheephook Ministries & Host of The Inside View Show Christian Radio Broadcasts, since 2005. Sheephook Ministries provides ministry services & ministers Christian resources to those in need.
An effective communicator of God's word, Reverend SeBasco is widely known for his dynamic teaching style. He serves as speaker and minister, and his mission is to guide people of all walks of life to applying and showing others how to apply timeless truths of Scripture to their everyday lives. As a member of the member of the National Book Critics Circle (NBCC), he also contributes written reviews for Christian Nonfiction Adult and Christian Children’s Books which publishers use inside those books, online, in social media, and on publishers’ web sites. Reverend SeBasco's expertise has been featured in media venues and speaking events throughout the United States. Unique Study Bibles he has created are available across the globe.
Since, 2010, he has been a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). Prayerfully, he happily lives in San Diego, California, with his family. Prayerfully, he happily lives in California, with his family.
Website: https://www.SheephookMinistries.com
Instagram: @SheephookMinistries
Facebook: https://facebook.com/SheephookMinistries
Reddit:
u/SheephookMinistries
Reverend Salvador SeBasco Twitter: https://twitter.com/SalvadorSeBasco
Tumblr URL: sheephookministries.tumblr.com
T.K. Sheffield
T.K. Sheffield
T.K. Sheffield, MA, is an author, over-50 model, and educator. She has a master’s degree in English and worked in teaching, broadcasting, and public relations. In addition to writing, horses are her passion. She has been an equestrian since reading C.W. Anderson’s A Filly for Joan when she was a girl growing up in Madison, Wisconsin.
She and her husband reside in a rural community in a fixer-upper home with a stunning backyard. The location inspires The Backyard Model Mysteries. T.K. writes cozy mysteries, children’s horse books, and romantic comedies while enjoying the yard’s view and wildlife.
She adores reading and delights in meeting unpretentious protagonists whose wit and dry humor make a story sing. “I relate to that character because folks in Wisconsin are like that,” she says. “This state and its aesthetic infuses all my work. To quote Dorothy Gale, ‘There’s no place like home.’”
Instagram:
The Backyard Model
Pinterest:
T.K. Sheffield
Twitter:
TK_Sheffield @WriterModel
TikTok:
T.K. Sheffield @Writer_Model_Mysteries
FB:
BackyardModelWriter
LinkedIn:
T.K. Sheffield
Website: www.tksheffieldwriter.com
Cheyenne Shields
Cheyenne Shields
Cheyenne has been writing since she was ten years old, but really found a passion for the craft when she started posting original work online. Her passion for fiction led her in pursuit of a Bachelor’s in Library and Information Studies with a Minor in Literature, and a job as a youth librarian at the local public library. When she’s not caught between the shelves, she tends to her cats, dogs, and chinchillas, gets lost in a video game for hours, or binges a whole novel. She lives in rural Pennsylvania between farms and forests, often getting lost on a trail or her own imagination.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/WolvesWillow
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wolves_willow
Laken Slate
Laken Slate
Laken Slate is an early childhood educator from Choctaw, Oklahoma. In the fourth grade, she struggled to read chapter books. She stayed in from recess, with a stack of picture books, and took one Accelerated Reader test at a time until she had enough points to keep a high grade in English. That’s when she fell in love with picture books. That’s also when she failed the test for Chicka Chicka Boom Boom.
Website:
Twitter:
@LakenSlate
Ramya G. Spaulding
Ramya G. Spaulding
Ramya G. Spaulding is an Indian-American author-illustrator. She loves to draw and frequently got into trouble as a kid for daydreaming too much. She spent most of her lunchtime at the school library, escaping into different worlds of the stories she read. Before she was an author-illustrator, she used to be an engineer because she also loved math and science. She feels extremely privileged to be making up stories with words and pictures. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her family. She wants to make sure all children can see themselves in the books they read.
You can find out more about her by visiting https://rgspaulding.com/
Kimber St. Lawrence
Kimber St. Lawrence
Kimber is a writer of young adult books and a reader of everything from Emily Brontë to Pierce Brown. A former television producer and host, she won a New England Emmy Award with the magazine-style television series Styleboston and explored New England ski resorts with The Mountain Report on NBC Sports Boston. She is now the chief marketing officer for a business training company, where she practices a different type of storytelling. She is also a member of SCBWI and creator of the viral digital short on social distancing called "Time to Come In, Bear."
Kimber lives in New Hampshire with her border collie, eleven chickens, and husband Ryan, who is a para-athlete and advocate for spinal cord injury awareness.
Twitter:
@Kimber_Saint
Instagram:
@kimbersaint
Website:
Lora Stead
Lora Stead
Lora Stead lives near red rocks in St, George, Utah with her husband, children, and a calico cat that she wishes was a dog. Lora has been writing kid lit since she was a child but tucked that dream away for a few decades to focus on formal education, teaching, and family. Then she wrote a picture book inspired by a lived experience that kept poking at her to be shared. Lora was a finalist in the 2023 PBParty Contest for that manuscript. Now she feels tugs from many other stories and can't wait to share those too.
Lora is an active member of SCBWI where she hosts a local critique group and participates in several more. She completed a Creative Writing Summer School Program at Oxford University where she wrote a short story that was published in Intersections, an Anthology of Poetry and Prose. She received her Bachelor of Arts with a minor in Italian from Brigham Young University and a master's degree in Second Language Teaching from Utah State University. She is also a certified elementary school teacher.
When she's not writing, teaching, or momming, Lora enjoys Bikram yoga, running, and game nights with her friends and family. Lora is thrilled to partner with Joyce Sweeney from the Seymour Agency and can't wait to connect with the world through stories.
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@LoraStead
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LoraStead
Yukiko Stranger-Galey
Yukiko Stranger-Galey
Yukiko Stranger-Galey writes stories that celebrate the wonder and diversity of the world we
live in.
She is currently settled in Vancouver, but at various points in her life she has lived in London, Edinburgh, Seoul, Chicago, and Kobe. These experiences, coupled with her
Japanese-English cultural background, lead her to weave threads of richness and emotional authenticity throughout her writing.
Her training in scientific research, her work as the curator of a natural history museum, and her passion for science communication lend expertise to her writings that explore biodiversity and sustainability. She particularly delights in engaging readers with the unusual and overlooked stories of the natural world.
Yukiko’s exhibitions have been recognized with multiple awards for their innovation, storytelling, and sustainability, and she is the recipient of the 2019 Governor General of Canada’s History Award for Excellence in Museums: History Alive!
The opportunity to share the stories of the people, organisms, and objects in our world
inspires her every day.
Website: www.yukikostrangergaley.com
Twitter:
@ystrangergaley
Instagram:
@ystrangergaley
Matt Tesoriero
Matt Tesoriero
I make a delicious, spicy meatball!
I was born into a large Italian-American family where we talk and listen at the same time. Big hugs and loud conversations are in my DNA. I grew up in rural Upstate New York, but we didn’t milk any cows. We preferred frolicking in open cornfields and swimming in the cold waters of the Finger Lakes. I’ve lived in Boston, London, San Francisco, Fort Lauderdale and just relocated to Orlando with my partner. I love Dunkin Donuts coffee. It provides the magical juice I use to write. I’m a certified Spinning Instructor and enjoy seeing my riders flourish and grow.
With twelve nieces and nephews as my audience, I made up silly stories to entertain them. I wanted to be their favorite uncle. One of them told me, “Uncle Matty, you should write these stories down.” So I have. I always remember a day when I was volunteering as a teacher’s aide in a first grade class. I read “The Giving Tree” to the children. I remember how moved they were and how the story made me cry. That’s my goal as a writer: to create children’s stories with heart. To inspire, enlighten and entertain. I always root for the underdog and characters who feel different. PAVE. THAT. ROAD!
Twitter:
@Matt_Tesoriero
Instagram: @MattTesoriero_Author
Leigh Therriault
Leigh Therriault
Leigh Therriault is passionate about creative writing, children’s literature, and lifelong learning. Always keen on enhancing her craft, Leigh completed the Children’s Book Writing program at the University of California San Diego, and has earned certificates in creative writing from the University of Toronto, UCLA Extension Writers’ Program, and Algonquin College.
Leigh is also a graduate of the Institute of Children’s Literature where she studied writing for children and teens, and she received her BA in Professional Communication from Royal Roads University. She recently completed the MicroMasters program in Writing for Performance and the Entertainment Industries at the University of Cambridge, and is pursuing a Master of Science in Communication, Behaviour and Credibility Analysis at Manchester Metropolitan University, in partnership with the Emotional Intelligence Academy.
Moreover, Leigh is an active member of SCBWI and the Canadian Authors Association (CAA), where she also volunteers, assisting with communications for the CAA National Capital Region. She lives in Ottawa, Ontario, with her family near an enchanted library with a water fountain that becomes a skating rink in the wintertime. Her short story, “The Golden Sands,” is published in the summer 2022 issue of The Caterpillar.
Website:
Instagram:
Twitter:
Facebook:
Jennifer Thompson
Jennifer Thompson
Globally published blogger, Jennifer Thompson is the founder and face behind the motherhood lifestyle blog, They Whine, so I Wine. Married to her husband, James, along with their one little guy (4), Jennifer balances her love of writing while simultaneously working full-time for a Fortune 100 Company, where she specializes in marketing.
A strong advocate for women and mothers everywhere, Jennifer possesses a unique ability to get inside her readers heads and express the things many women think. Never one to shy away from hard conversations, Jennifer gives her readers tough love with a dash of humor through her raw and inspirational truth telling.
Described by her readers as empowering, driven and motivational, Jennifer has created an amazing online community of over 220k women who support and encourage one another.
Her words have been shared by millions around the world and featured in dozens of national media outlets, including ABC News, the Today Show and Good Morning America.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theywhineiwine2/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theywhinesoiwine2/
Website: https://www.theywhinesoiwine.com/
Julia Ubbenga
Julia Ubbenga
Julia Ubbenga is a journalist and creator of one of the top blogs worldwide, Rich in What Matters. Her work, which helps people live with less stuff and more meaning, has over a million
views.
Julia has a heart for teaching others to let go of inner and outer clutter and live life lighter,
focused on who and what matters. Julia resides in Kansas City with her husband and their four wonderful children.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/richinwhatmatters/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100088435221293
Pradeep Velugubantla
Pradeep Velugubantla
Pradeep Velugubantla is an engineer and writer. Born in south India, he and his younger sister grew up in rich Indian culture, speaking Telugu, relishing spicy foods, and flying kites in the green rice fields.
At 22, Pradeep embarked on a journey to the United States to pursue higher education. He went to school to learn about building structures. However, it was his fatherhood that uncovered his passion for picture books. Now he also builds stories, often illuminating Indian culture and the immigrant experience.
Pradeep holds a master's degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Arkansas. He lives in Pennsylvania with his wife and two children. He is a member of SCBWI and Julie Hedlund’s 12X12 Picture Book Challenge.
He is thrilled to be represented by two amazing agents, Joyce Sweeney and Marisa Cleveland.
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/VelugubantlaP
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/pradeep.velugubantla
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/pradeepvelugubantla/
Website:
Ralph Walker
Ralph Walker
Ralph Walker is an author of speculative fiction and thrillers. His books, stories and screenplays place broken characters in worlds just around the corner; taking on climate change, technology, and a world spinning faster than they can possibly catch up.
He designs buildings by day and builds worlds until dawn. Both architect and writer, his fiction has appeared in a variety of anthologies and publications. Ralph also writes for the screen and has both short and feature screenplays in development with directors and producers attached.
His debut novel THE LAST ICEBERG, a quarterfinalist in the Screencraft 2018 Cinematic Book Contest will be taking off in the near future. You can regularly find Ralph handing out the donuts on twitter at #5amwritersclub.
Ralph lives with his wife and two crazy kids in northern New Jersey, and is an active part of the community; serving as an elected member of the Bloomfield School Board and participating in various township committees.
Website: www.ralphwalkerauthor.com
Twitter:
@RW_Igloo
Facebook Author Page:
Ralph Walker https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Author/Ralph-Walker-158834048017799/
Jill Watson
Jill Watson
Jill Watson started her career as Associate Editor of True Confessions magazine. (Don't ask if the stories were real, she'll never tell.) After three years, plot twist! Jill moved over to the production end of publishing, where she managed Graphic Design departments at CBS, USA TODAY and a mutual funds company. She was also Type Consultant on fanzines for Amblin' Entertainment. Fun!
Every chance she got, Jill danced on her roller skates and in her cowboy boots. She appeared on several TV shows, as well as in a Top 10 Country Music video. All this, without the ability to hear the music well.
In 2017, Jill gave up the 9-to-whenever-o’clock life to concentrate on writing. Her first middle grade book, THE MAGNIFICENT ROLLING ROXIE, won a Rising Kite Award from SCBWI in 2020.
When she's not writing, Jill still dances on her skates. She also raises butterflies in her Florida garden and feeds two bunnies who visit every day. Jill is a member of SCBWI and the Central Park Dance Skaters Association. She’s represented by Joyce Sweeney.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jill_watson326
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jill.watson.3557/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jill-watson-3013736/
Website: www.jillwatsonwrites.com
Mindy Alyse Weiss
Mindy Alyse Weiss
Mindy Alyse Weiss is a glitter-loving kid at heart who loves viewing the world through a child’s eyes. She’s written many humorous picture books and middle grade novels, but also enjoys tapping into the challenging parts of her life so she can spread sunshine and hope.
Perfect Shells, a lyrical SEL picture book with a hard of hearing main character, won her an honorable mention in the 2023 SCBWI FL Rising Kite contest. Her heartfelt SEL picture book Mason’s Greatest Trick won 5th place in the Writer’s Digest Competition and helped her receive a 12x12 PB scholarship. She’s had several pieces published in Highlights magazine, is the SCBWI FL Critique Group Coordinator and Free Meeting Facilitator, an Administrator on the SCBWI Blueboard, a founding member of the From the Mixed-Up Files…of Middle-Grade Authors blog and host of the PBParty chats, challenge, and annual contest.
Mindy lives in Florida with her husband, two daughters, and rescue dog and cat. She adores animals and would adopt every homeless one if she could.
She’s thrilled to be represented by Joyce Sweeney.
Website: https://mindyalyseweiss.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MindyAlyseWeiss
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindyalyseweiss/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MindyAlyseWeiss
J. Bradley Wigger
J. Bradley Wigger
Brad Wigger has spent years studying the wild world of children’s invisible friends. As a professor and researcher in childhood studies, he has traveled to several countries, from Malawi to Nepal and back, listening to kids talk about their special relationships. After several nonfiction works he is delighted to turn to fiction to tell stories about imagination and friendship.
Home is Louisville, Kentucky and when Brad isn’t writing, teaching, or listening to children, you may find him playing music around town with the band Mundo Brew.
Amazon Author: www.amazon.com/J.-Bradley-Wigger/e/B001KI8EE0%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share
Invisible Friend website: www.seethroughknowing.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/brad.wigger.50
Band: www.mundobrew.com
Cardigan Winters
Cardigan Winters
Cardigan Winters is a neurodivergent ace-pan currently living in New Jersey with their husband and five cats. When not spending time with family, they are either writing or obsessing over whichever hyper-fixation has struck that week. They are a firm believer in having three drinks with you at all times and, whenever you go to the store, you have to look at stationery supplies—always.
Twitter:
TikTok:
Hollie Wolverton
Hollie Wolverton
Playing with words has always been part of Hollie’s life…from winning Boggle as a kid to
earning her master’s degree in journalism to working in corporate communications. So it wasn’t surprising when she added writing picture books to the list after becoming a mom. A decade later, she continues making stories to inspire, enlighten, and entertain both kids and the grownups reading to them.
Hollie has honed her craft through SCBWI, the 12x12 Challenge, and The Writing Barn. She won first place in the 2023 Kids’ Choice Kidlit Writing Contest, where kids are the judges, and has placed in several other kidlit contests. Since 2021, she has hosted #FirstDraftFriday, a monthly event on Twitter and her blog that encourages and supports other authors.
Hollie lives in Maine with her family and a cat who tries her patience but makes up for it with snuggles. She enjoys doing Crossfit (poorly) and reading (well). Hollie is thrilled to be
represented by Joyce Sweeney.
Website:
Twitter:
@HollieWolverton
Heidi Yates
Heidi Yates
Heidi Yates is an author, artist, and photographer. She received her BFA from The Art Institute of Boston at Lesley University. She is an active member of SCBWI, Julie Hedlund’s 12x12 Picture Book Challenge, and a 2021 PBChat mentee.
Heidi splits her time among the lush green forests of Oregon, the sunny Arizona desert, and the packed aisles of a bookstore. (Have you seen Powell’s City of Books?) When she’s not reading a story, she is usually creating one. Inspiration is everywhere. It doesn’t matter if she’s hiking, biking or taking nature photos, Heidi can always find a seed for a story.
Website:
Twitter:
@HeidiKYates
Instagram:
@heidikyates
Danna Zeiger
Danna Zeiger
A lifelong bookworm, book shopaholic, and quiet writer, Danna Zeiger is a molecular-biologist-turned-homeschooling-mama-and-children's-book-author! Since her days as poetry editor for her high school’s newspaper, she has always aspired to be an author, even if her journey has been a little circuitous. For seven years, she served as Professor and Program Director for Fisher College's Biology Program, serving disadvantaged and first-in-the-family students from diverse backgrounds.
As a scientist, Danna has always been passionate about making STEM accessible. She is published in prestigious scientific journals including Science, Neuron, and Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, as well as several newspapers and blogs, including Chronicle of Higher Education, Kveller, and Eureka, the Charles River Laboratory blog ... and can't wait to also be published in the literary world. While homeschooling her three spirited kids, she also established a STEM accessibility and educational resource entitled DrZatHome.
Growing up in an immigrant family, Danna was raised with and speaks three languages fluently. She dreams in different languages, depending on which family she’s hanging out with on a given day.
Danna brings her science, homeschooling, and trilingual immigrant background to all of her written work!
Website: http://www.dannazeiger.com/
Instagram:
@DrZatHome
Facebook:
@DrZatHome
Twitter:
@home_zat
Michele Ziemke
Michele Ziemke
Michele Ziemke is an author, artist, and optimist. She won her students hearts with hugs and humor for over 25 years. She was recognized as an educational visionary in the creation of the Great Lakes Performing and Visual Arts Academy, and honoured with the new Michele Ziemke Student Art Gallery! Her degree in Art Education and a Masters in Educational Administration are from Bowling Green State University. Retired, Michele brings that same heart and humor to her picture books. She is also passionate about interior design, tailoring, theater, and chocolate covered peanuts.
Michele is an active member of SCBWI and Julie Hedland’s 12x12 Challenge. Proud finalist of the #PBParty and #Fall Writing Frenzy competition in 2019 & 2020. Michele resides in Northern Ohio, and Manitoulin Island in Canada with her husband and fluffy labradoodle, while sprinkling her time among twelve grandchildren!
Website:
Twitter and Instagram:
@ZiemkeMichele