Meet Our Pre-Published Authors
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.
Lindsey Aduskevich
Lindsey is a reader, writer, wife, and mother who loves trips to the library and unusually tall stacks of picture books. She is a member of SCBWI, Julie Hedlund's 12x12 Picture Book Challenge, and five critique groups. She was thrilled to be a 2023 PBParty Honorable Mention. In her spare time, Lindsey likes to interview authors and author-illustrators for her blog, snakeboard in the basement with her family, and in December, you can find her binge watching the Holiday Baking Championship. She lives in Southington, CT with her husband, two book-loving girls, and one very old, slightly cranky dog.
Links:
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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.
Lucas Amann
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Dane Arakaki
Lucas Amann is a screenwriter, film director, novelist, and visual artist who got his start directing commercials and music videos in Austin, TX. His 2019 short film PEOPLING, starring Josh Fadem and Kimmy Robertson (TWIN PEAKS), played at Fantasia, Fantastic Fest, Sitges, and Beyond Fest, and debuted online via Alter, to over 35 million views. His feature film project A BOY-SHAPED VOID was selected to participate in the 14th edition of Frontières International Co-Production Market organized by Fantasia in partnership with Cannes, and in the Fanpitch Market at Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival. His debut novel WARMTH was released last October, trending in the top ten Teen LGBTQ+ books on Amazon. The audiobook is read by horror legend Doug Bradley (HELLRAISER).
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
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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).
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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:
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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.
Julie Blaho
Julie Blaho is a creature-crazy country girl and high-maintenance writing friend with short stories and flash fiction published in various magazines. Much of her inspiration comes from nature, which fueled her childhood imagination and continues to enrich her life. A native of Minnesota, she lives on a farm in Italy with her husband and works as a certified nature guide and riding instructor. Horses are a lifelong love, and she adores teaching children how to communicate with them. You can connect with her online:
Website: julieblaho@outlook.com
X:
@FelicioneFarm
IN:
felione_farm
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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:
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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:
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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:
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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
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Cathy Castelli
MeiLin Chan
Andrew & Katie Cherkasky
R.C. Chizhov
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
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 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 contracted the writing bug at the age of five and distributed autographed copies of her hand-written books to classmates in India, where she grew up. After a master's degree in finance from Columbia University and a career in investment banking, she published her first picture book, The Lion in Your Heart, winning multiple awards. R.C. is now a full-time writer of empowering stories with a dose of humor. She’s a graduate of Gotham's Writer's Workshop, Writing Mastery Academy, Children's Book Academy and member of SCBWI and 12x12.
Website:
Instagram:
Twitter:
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Catherine Cook
Richard Cypert
Tyler Darnell
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Diana Ting Delosh
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
Richard Cypert is a former Paralympic Cyclist for the United States of America, national and regional champion in numerous cycling time trial events, a previous member of the Cerebral Palsy Athletic Association (CPAA), and a motivational speaker to all ages and groups. He is a participant and contributor to the Children’s Miracle Network, working alongside celebrities such as Marie Osmond and John Schneider. Richard was the recipient of a life-changing, ground-breaking medical procedure in his late teens that allowed him to pursue his dream of becoming Paralympian.
Richard is a certified Elementary School Counselor for Moss Elementary in Big Spring, Texas. He has over twenty years’ experience in education working as a Counselor and certified Special Education Teacher. He has worked with students from the ages of kindergarten all the way to high school.
Through difficulties, tears, and laughter Richard is considered by many as a local hero in his surrounding communities, while living by example and helping others in a positive way.
Website:
http://www.richardcypert.com/
http://studmanrich.co
Twitter:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/studmanrich
Facebook:
LinkedIn:
TikTok:
Tyler Darnell is a Texas-based writer & teacher. He lives with his husband and cat in the city and works to center diversity in his work so children of all kinds can see themselves when they read. Born with cerebral palsy and never seeing himself in stories as a kid, he wrote his own and is excited to share it with the world. He has been a Queer Kidlit Mentee and received multiple scholarships from The Highlights Foundation. He was a panelist at AWP in 2024 for The Anti-Ableist Writing Workshop where he spoke about disability and the writing workshop with other disabled writers & teachers. He hopes to build communities of care through his writing and advocacy.
Instagram/Threads:
@writeraction
Tiktok:
@writerbrain
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:
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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.
Abby Rose Donley
Abby Rose Donley is a psychological horror author hailing from the Pacific Northwest. She couldn’t decide whether she wanted a Literature or a Creative Writing degree so against most financial advice, she got both. She reads across multiple genres but is always drawn to books with murders to solve (or not solve, as she loves an ambiguous ending). When she’s not reading or writing or creeping on publishing news, she spends her time running, watching BookTube, and worrying about The Big Earthquake.
Twitter: https://x.com/abbyrosedonley
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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
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Cari Dubiel
Cari Dubiel is a writer, librarian, bassoonist, and mom in Northeast Ohio. She is an editor for Duskbound Books and a past Library Liaison to Sisters in Crime. 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:
Joe Duffy
An unusual interaction with a gorilla at Chicago’s Lincoln Park Zoo prompted Joe to pen “No More Selfies”, a narrative non-fiction picture book about the importance of play. He is thrilled to join the Seymour Agency and is looking forward to promoting this and future projects with agent Gaby Cabezut.
Joe lives in suburban Chicago with his wife and two children, both of whom will quickly point out they are the exact same age as “Bluey” (6) and “Bingo” (4).
When not writing, Joe teaches in a high school vocational program. Sailing, cycling, gardening, music and books break up the monotony if dad duties don’t overwhelm. Regional cuisine, meeting new people and traveling to new places still tempts but mostly these days, Joe is happiest at home with his family.
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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:
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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:
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/imeeriebooks
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/imeeriebooks/
Facebook:
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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
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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.
Reena Evers-Everette
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Faran Fagen
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Dana Rose Falcone
Reena Evers-Everette is the daughter of renowned civil rights activists, Medgar Evers and Myrlie Evers-Williams. She was born and raised in Mound Bayou which was known for its progressive stance during the civil rights era.
Reena studied business merchandising at New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology. In 1979 she began a 32-year professional career with United Airlines, working in the areas of
government transportation affairs, travel agency training and airport operations.
Reena continues the legacy of her parents’ in the civil rights movement serving as the executive director of the Medgar and Myrlie Evers Institute, located in Jackson, Mississippi. The institute
aims to promote positive social change, foster intergenerational exchanges, and advocates for
social and economic justice.
Additionally, Reena has served as chair of the board of directors of the Claremont Chapter of the American Red Cross and volunteered with the City of Claremont’s Committees on Dialogue and Human Relations. She has been a board member of the MS Votes Action Fund and a W.K. Kellogg Foundation Global Community Leadership Fellow.
When she is not fulfilling her various speaking engagements or serving on boards, Reena enjoys splitting her time between Mississippi and California, where she cherishes spending time with her loved ones, including her mother Myrlie Evers-Williams, who, at 90 years old, continues to
be a fierce advocate for social justice for all.
Website:
www.eversinstitute.org
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:
Twitter:
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:
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Arielle Fenger
Christina Ferko
Arielle Fenger is an Orthodox Jewish security engineer who spends most of her spare time writing for children. When she’s not writing, she can be found playing piano or working on her new crafty project…which may or may not show up in her next book. She also develops apps for children, focusing on preschool concepts such as alef-bet, colors, and shapes.
Arielle lives in Rockland County, New York with her family and their backyard assortment of deer, groundhogs, and the occasional coyote.
Website:
Twitter:
@ariellefenger
Instagram:
@ariellefenger
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/
TikTok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@christinafko
Website:
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Jonny Fink
Heather Fishwick
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 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:
Ben Foodman
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:
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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:
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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:
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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.
Austin Hamilton
Austin Hamilton was born in Southern California and spent his primary school years going to the beaches of Carpentaria, Santa Barbara, and Malibu. His favorite places were the zoo or museums, especially the Natural History Museum in Los Angeles. In middle school he and his family moved to Northern California where he played football and wrestled until graduating from high school.
Shortly after graduating, Austin met the love of his life. They moved to San Diego California for over a year and after she graduated from UCSD they moved back to NorCal, got married, had a baby girl, moved across the country alongside his younger brother, sister-in-law, and mom. They live in Virginia Beach, Virginia with their daughter and son as the four of them wait for the arrival of their newest addition—another boy!
Austin is currently the site supervisor for a nonprofit equine therapy facility. He loves seeing the barn filled with horses. Outside of work he enjoys hunting and fishing; his greatest joy is his life at home with his family and bringing his wife’s creative concepts to life through illustrations and writing a YA Sci-Fi Novel. Austin is incredibly thankful for the wisdom and synchronicity he has found in his super agent Joyce Sweeney.
Anna Hamilton
Anna Hamilton lives in Virginia Beach, Virginia and admittedly has trouble focusing on anything other than her seven (and counting) grandkids…accept writing of course.
She grew up in the small town Ojai in Southern California. Her childhood was full of adventures with her sister, brother, and the neighborhood kids. Throughout her elementary years, her imagination and love for writing began to intertwine. 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 met and then married the love of her life. They had three beautiful boys. Motherhood kept her wonderfully busy. When her youngest started kindergarten she discovered a new love—reading romance!
After losing her mother, she began writing again. It helped keep her mind from focusing on the loss of her mom. A year later Anna and her family moved to Northern California and that’s when everything changed. She took writing more seriously and completed her first novel. She is incredibly fortunate to be represented by the ever patient and brilliant Nicole Resciniti and the marvelous, get it done, Joyce Sweeney of The Seymour Agency.
The creative process of writing is where she is most comfortable. The technical process has matured the professional side of her. She has learned that perseverance, commitment, diligence, and believing in a dream are key characteristics in order to succeed.
In addition to writing romance novels, Anna is now moving into creating ideas for film as well as screenwriting.
Cassie Hamilton
Cassie Hamilton was born in San Francisco, California but moved to a little town East of Sacramento not long after. Cassie loved dogs growing up and was often surrounded by many of them particularly rescue dogs. Among those she encountered many were “helpful” bulldogs. One of her favorite rescues was a deaf English Bulldog named Huge whom her family took in when he was just a puppy. Though Huge saw the world a bit differently than other dogs, his ways of making Cassie laugh and helping her feel better when she was sad left her with an everlasting love for the bulldog breed.
Cassie met the man of her dreams soon after graduating high school. They moved to San Diego as she finished her education at UCSD. Shortly after they were married.
Currently, Cassie lives in Virginia Beach, Virginia with Mr. Dreamy, sometimes known as Austin, but even better the father of their two very active little ones. Cassie and the crew are joyfully awaiting the arrival of baby number three. Cassie is a work-from-home mom and spends her days developing the Harvey Helps series along with two other children’s books series while taking care of and loving on her beautiful, spirited babies. Nestled right next to incredible farm land, Cassie is captivated by the beautiful scenery and adores every animal and bird she sees on her daily outings. Her dream is to live on a farm and run their business, tend to their children and care for their animals just like Karen and Greg from Harvey Helps! Cassie is very grateful to hand over the Harvey Helps series to the patient and always loving Joyce Sweeney!
One day Cassie hopes to bring home an English Bulldog of their own for her kids to fall in love with the same way Cassie did as a child. Until then she will continue creating fun adventures for Harvey.
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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:
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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:
Twitter:
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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:
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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 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: secretmermaidstuff432@gmail.com
Instagram:
@kyanmermaid
Twitter:
@MermaidKyan
Sarah Lynne John
Sarah Lynne John is a collector of life experiences. A few items in her collection include sky-diving over Hawaii, sampling escargot in Paris, cliff jumping in Utah, paragliding over the Alps, and even braving fruitcake in Siberia.
When she can’t travel to a new thrilling adventure, she does so vicariously through her characters on the page. Along with a rush of adrenaline, her work often explores science, the beauty of the natural world, and family relationships.
Before turning to writing for children, Sarah’s many careers involved writing news stories, producing technical videos, designing print and digital media, shooting tourism photography, planning swanky events, schmoozing film executives, and taste-testing lemon bars as the owner of a bakery.
Website:
Instagram:
@sarahlynnejohnauthor
Facebook Author Page: Author Sarah Lynne John
Twitter:
@sarahlynnejohn
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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:
Maryanalysis@Maryajsmith
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Sonya Justice
Sonya Justice is a Cameroonian-American writer and intensive care nurse who grew up in coastal Africa. Always one to think outside the box, Sonya writes concept picture books as well as traditional fiction and non-fiction books for children. Her stories are intricately woven in the tapestry of the African culture: its people, food/music, creatures, drapery, diaspora, and enchanting lore. Her children’s books have a lyrical cadence that’s inspired by the alluring sights, sounds, and scents of America and the African continent.
Passionate about environmental conservation, she’s written and published several “Go Green” articles in Fabulous Nurse Magazine (2010-2014) and continues to champion green conservation efforts at the hospitals where she works. Interesting fact: From 2013-2015, Sonya leveraged her clinical acumen and business degree to host / produce a cable TV show to promote the nursing profession and deliver essential public health information.
Interesting quirk: Her name, Sonya Justice, is an anagram created from her deceased parents’ names to memorialize them.
Favorite quote about writing: “If there is a book you want to read, but it has not been written yet, then you must write it,” Toni Morrison.
Sonya lives and writes in the Pacific Northwest. When not healing or exploring the beautiful outdoors, she can be found at beach clean ups, playing tennis, riding, or curled up with a good book.
Twitter:
@SonyaJustice
LinkedIn:
@SonyaJustice
Facebook:
@SonyaJustice
Instagram:
@SonyaJustice_Author
TikTok:
@SonyaJustice_Author
Website:
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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:
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Hannah Kates
Hannah Kates is an author, editor, and best-selling ghostwriter who also writes about ghosts. Ever since ending her career as a pirate hunter/swordswoman, she’s moonlighted in a variety of vocations, including copywriter, character actress, governess in the Swiss Alps, and ghost tour guide in America’s most haunted mansion. Her inspiration is absolutely childhood trauma—notably that one time she returned home to find that her beloved pet hamster, Butterscotch, had devoured her own pups.
Hannah currently serves as a resident editor for the Write Hive Program and a cohost for the Word Nerd Café Podcast. These days, she haunts the great city of Boston with her feline familiar and her questionably faithful corgi, Bilbo Handsomepants.
Twitter:
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/authorhkates
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/hkates710/
Website:
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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.
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Tori Kelley
Tori Kelley moved around a lot as a child. Fluent in Italian, she apprenticed at a Pasticceria near Venice, Italy, and learned how to make gelato from scratch. When her father retired from the military, she returned to the United States at eighteen having only completed the eighth grade. But she persisted, earned her Ph.D. and founded Central Florida Mental Health, where she is a Board 491 Qualified Clinical Supervisor of Mental Health Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapist Interns.
Tori is passionate about writing stories featuring resiliency. She holds an MFA from the Vermont College of Fine Arts, and belongs to AWP, ALA, and SCBWI, where she won a Rising Kite Award in the Young Adult category.
Beautiful Pain by Tori is her debut album, featuring songs she wrote about healing and finding her voice. A mother of two and wife of one, Tori draws strength and energy from daily doses of Nutella.
Website: www.Torileighkelley.com
Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Pinterest, YouTube: @torileighkelley
Twitter:
@storybytori
Listen to her albums:
Beautiful Pain by Tori (out now)
True to You by Tori
(coming soon)
On iTunes, Amazon, Spotify, Pandora, and YouTube
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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.
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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.
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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
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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.
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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
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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).
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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
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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.
Barry Maher
Barry Maher is a product of the University of Notre Dame, the Graduate Journalism Program at U.C. Berkeley and five misspent weeks at Burger King’s Whopper College. In his errant youth, he was an award-winning poet (the award was ten copies of a xeroxed literary publication), his nonfiction appeared in perhaps a hundred different magazines, and he held nearly that many different jobs, trying to support himself. Sometimes he lived on the beach. Not in a house on the beach. On the beach. With the sand and the seagulls.
Then he started his own advertising specialties business. He turned out to be good at it. Soon, he was an executive in a Fortune 100 conglomerate. Companies started asking him to consult. They started paying him to speak at their meetings. To his great surprise, nobody asked for their money back. He became one of the country’s most successful speakers: his client list a Who’s Who of multi-national corporations and leading organizations.
You may have seen Barry on The Today Show, NBC Nightly News or CNBC, and he’s been featured in publications ranging from The New York Times, USA Today and The Wall Street Journal to, his persona favorite, Funeral Services Insider.
Websites:
https://www.motivationalpresenter.com/
Twitter:
@barrymaher
LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/barry-maher-a629212/
Facebook:
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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:
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Hilary Margitich
Hilary Margitich has always craved a good story. A quiet, creative kid with wild, curly red hair and an equally wild imagination, you could often find her acting out some sort of plotline with her dolls, her friends, or simply herself. These stories eventually made their way to the written page, winning her creative writing awards and a beloved stint as Editor-in-Chief of her high school newspaper.
Though no longer what you would consider “quiet”, Hilary is still very much an avid storyteller. Her favorite audience these days are her three young sons, who fuel and inspire her writing on a daily basis. Hilary enjoys writing both fiction and nonfiction for the picture book and middle grade audiences. She loves generating story ideas from interesting things she reads about, then using her research and imagination to weave a deliciously compelling story.
Hilary is a graduate student in children’s and young adult literature at Penn State University and holds master’s degrees from Cornell University. She is a CYBILS Awards judge and a regular blogger on all things kidlit for the Writers’ Rumpus blog. Hilary is a lifelong New Englander. She speaks dog, a little bit of cat, and enjoys caffeinated beverages.
Website:
Twitter:
@HMargitich
Instagram:
@hilarymargitich
Facebook:
Linda Salem Marlow
Linda Salem Marlow's passion for weaving words began before preschool when she dictated stories to her mom on their turquoise typewriter. Linda still spends her days creating tales of family and love inspired by her father, a son of Lebanese immigrants, and her mother, a coal miner's daughter from the hills of eastern Kentucky.
Linda has published four leveled readers with Heinemann, a division of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. This dive into educational publishing perfectly aligned with her career as a first-grade teacher and award-winning educator with over 25 years of experience, including time teaching creative writing at an elementary school of the arts. More than anything, Linda loves motivating reluctant learners through engaging lessons and powerful stories.
When she's not teaching or writing picture books and middle grade novels, you'll find her weed-deep in her garden or cooking (usually) yummy meals. She grew up in West Virginia and now lives in south Florida with her family. She is thrilled to be represented by Joyce Sweeney.
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:
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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
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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:
Twitter:
http://twiter.com/ZimblerMiller
LinkedIn:
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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
Stacey Moffat
Stacey Moffat learned early on that a sense of humour is essential while dancing and singing along to the ever-changing lyrics of life. Now she incorporates that humour into picture books and novels for kids.
Stacey started her career as an elementary school teacher. When she and her husband started a family, raising three unique children made for some bumps in the road.
She’s written about some of those bumps on her own blog, More Than Words, and on Bloom, a blog by Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital. An alumna of Whale Rock Literary Workshops Mentorship Program, Stacey was also published in Exceptional Family Magazine.
She lives in rural Ontario, Canada, with her husband and three kids.
IG:
@writerstaceymoffat
Twitter/X:
@writerStaceyM
@staceymoffat.bsky.social
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Frances Morales
Frances is a children's book writer and occupational therapist for children. She helps children and their families achieve independence and success in their daily activities and roles. Born and raised on the beautiful island of Puerto Rico, Frances often draws inspiration for her writing from her culture and cherished memories from her island. She is also a musician, loves to sing and play the violin, and is an avid traveler and lover of nature. Frances was a finalist in the PBParty contest, where she found her agent, Lynnette Novak.
Twitter:
@Frances_m20
Website:
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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.
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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:
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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
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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:
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/RandomReflectionz
Twitter:
@christineorgan
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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/
Pinterest:
Laura Piggott
Laura Piggott is an author/illustrator who lives in a charming small town outside of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, with her husband, two teenage kids, and their menagerie of pets. She finds inspiration in her historic, picturesque town and loves to incorporate wonder, whimsy, and magic in her art.
When she’s not drawing, painting, or writing, Laura spends her time knitting and sewing; playing the piano, violin and cello; reading books and magazines; and drinking copious amounts of coffee. When the coffee runs dry (or it’s past 3:00 pm), you might find her dreaming by the fire with a quilt and a cup of hot cocoa. Laura also loves to eat, cook, and bake gluten-free food and would never turn down a dinner invitation from Phil Rosenthal or Bobby Flay.
Laura has an Honours BA in Trilingual Translation and a Bachelor of Education, both from the University of Ottawa. She also has a post-graduate certificate in Stylistic Editing from Queen’s University. She speaks English, Spanish, French, and Italian. Although she is smitten with travel, she will always and forever be a homebody at heart.
Website:
Instagram:
@lauraleighpiggott
BlueSky: @laurapiggott.bsky.social
Twitter:
@LauraPiggott12
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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:
Twitter:
@dene_lynn
TikTok:
@dene.lynn
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Natasha Prokopchuk
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Kristin Prouty
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Katherine Quinn
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Rozana Rajkumari
Natasha Prokopchuk (she/her) is a student, recreational support worker, and perpetual overthinker fascinated by the complexities of identity. Her passion for nuance and empathy shines through all of her art, from tongue-in-cheek ditties and bite-sized poems to meticulously crafted novels. While she's spent a lifetime bouncing from place to place–including Alaska, Saudi Arabia, and Mexico–Natasha is currently settled in Ontario and eagerly pursuing a Masters in Occupational Therapy. Should you need her, Natasha can generally be found twirling across the nearest available kitchen floor.
Instagram:
@natashawritesbooks
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 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
Website:
Rozana Rajkumari is a children's book writer from Imphal, Manipur a small state in the northeast of India. There, she grew up surrounded by green hills and colorful folklore. She writes stories stewed with STEAM, SEL, and humor. Previously, she worked as a copywriter, researcher, and conservationist. She has been fortunate enough to have lived and worked in Sri Lanka, Chile, Vietnam, Uganda, Jordan, and Colombia. She now lives in Berlin, Germany with her family and loves traveling around the world and inside books.
Twitter:
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/rozana_rajkumari/
YouTube:
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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:
Twitter:
@kylereardon
Facebook Author Page:
https://www.facebook.com/KyleReardonAuthor
Instagram:
@kylereardonillustration
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Jamie Rodarte
Jamie Rodarte (she/her) writes children's stories featuring underrepresented characters with humor and hope.
When not immersed in kidlit you can find Jamie planning ways to be more environmentally focused, researching her next plant-based meal, and supervising many slime experiments. 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 was a 2023 PB Rising Stars mentee and the founder of Picture Book Power Hour – a free, monthly workshop of writing-based exercises. You can also find Jamie working alongside Marisa Cleveland of The Seymour Agency as an agent mentee...and loving every minute of it!
Represented by Joyce Sweeney.
You can find out more here:
Website:
Twitter:
@WritingKidLit
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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.
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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:
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Nalicia Sawh-Boen
Nalicia Sawh-Boen was born in Guyana but grew up in Queens. She now lives in Long Island with her husband and three cats. Originally a pre-med student, Nalicia works in HR and has a Master’s in Industrial/ Organizational Psychology and is pursuing her 2nd Master’s in Quantitative Methods and Modeling.
A lifelong reader, she enjoys writing and won the Ezra Jack Keats Bookmaking Contest in 3rd grade and various essay contests throughout the years. Growing up, she didn’t see many books that reflected her experiences as a woman of South Asian descent or as a West Indian woman. She hopes to write picture books that explore her heritage and increase the visibility of her community.
In her spare time, Nalicia loves antiquing and collecting Barbie dolls - she has over 130 Barbie dolls! She is also a member of Long Island’s SCBWI chapter.
Instagram:
@naliciasawh
Twitter:
@naliciasawh
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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:
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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:
Melissa Seyler
Melissa Seyler is a bestselling romance author residing in eastern Pennsylvania with her husband and two daughters. Formerly a tenured professor of publishing and communication, Melissa transitioned to a full-time romance author after hanging up her cap and gown. In addition to crafting compelling love stories, she conducts workshops and presentations on publishing and writing.
Beyond her professional pursuits, Melissa has a deep affection for animals, particularly her dog, Zoe, and her cats, Molly & Loki. She's also a die-hard fan of the Philadelphia Eagles and Phillies.
Melissa's passion for storytelling traces back to her imaginative childhood, where each day ended with a book. At the age of thirteen, she discovered her mom's romance novels, sparking a lifelong passion for love stories. Melissa loves creating stories featuring swoon-worthy heroes, relatable heroines, and awkward moments that make her characters blush. In her young adult books, she weaves in lots of approachable sci-fi. Embracing her romantic heart and geekiness, Melissa loves sharing her books with the world.
Website:
https://www.melissakoberlein.com/
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/mekoberlein/
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/melkoberlein
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/melkoberlein/
TikTok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@melkoberlein
Bluesky:
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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
TikTok:
Ashley Lamb Sinclair
Ashley Lamb-Sinclair is an award-winning educator, author, and explorer. As a National Geographic Explorer, Ashley leads an education and storytelling program called 2892 Miles to Go alongside a collective of youth and community leaders across the U.S. Ashley served as the 2016 Kentucky Teacher of the Year, and after 15 years as a National Board Certified classroom educator, she founded an edtech platform called Curio Learning, winning the Uber Girlboss Grand Prize during her tenure as CEO. Ashley has contributed to several publications including The Atlantic and the Washington Post, and is an Oxford and Fulbright Scholar. Her first book, From Underestimated to Unstoppable: 8 Educator Archetypes for Driving Change in the Classroom and Beyond was published with ASCD for an educator audience. Her true passion is writing for young people and she is thrilled to embark on that journey represented by the incomparable Joyce Sweeney. Find Ashley at ashleylambsinclair.com, @ashleylambsinclair_author on Instagram or @AshleyLambS on Twitter.
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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/
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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:
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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:
Instagram:
Sarah Steinbacher
Sarah Steinbacher (she/they) is a disabled nonbinary author and poet who loves writing stories that entertain, move, and empower children. A former national curriculum writer with an Ed.D. in early childhood education, they are passionate about advocating for children, disabled people, queer folx and inclusive children’s literature.
Sarah is an instructor at The Writing Barn and an active member of SCBWI and Storyteller Academy. They were named a 2023 PB Rising Stars Honorable Mention and a #KidLitZombieWeek winner. Their poems can be found at The Dirigible Balloon, PaperBound, Tyger Tyger, Paper Lanterns, and Little Thoughts Press.
Sarah lives with their husband, three children, three cats, and a tortoise in a house filled with books. They are thrilled to be represented by Joyce Sweeney.
Twitter:
@SarahSteinbac11
Instagram: @SarahSteinbacherWrites
Blue Sky:
@sarahsteinbacher
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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:
Twitter:
@ystrangergaley
Instagram:
@ystrangergaley
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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
Jodie Lyn Turchin
Jodi Lyn Turchin is an author, high school teacher, photographer, and music enthusiast living in Coral Springs, Florida.
Jodi’s passion for literature in all its forms led her into the classroom, where she has an extensive YA library, curated over a two-decade career, to encourage her teenage students to read for pleasure.
She also has worked with several libraries in the South Florida area to offer creative writing classes for teen writers. Jodi earned a Master’s Degree in English with a thesis titled Reimagining Shakespeare in the Young Adult Contemporary Novel.
As a writer, Jodi’s work has been featured in local Broward County publications such as South Florida Music News, Rag Magazine, and the Sun-Sentinel newspaper. Her YA manuscripts have earned prizes in the South Florida Writers Network annual writing competitions and earned an honorable mention in the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators Florida Rising Kite competition.
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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
Blog:
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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:
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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:
Twitter:
@RW_Igloo
Facebook Author Page:
RalphWalker
https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Author/Ralph-Walker-158834048017799/
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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 the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) in 2020. Her second middle grade book, FAKE FRIEND FIASCO, won a Silver Florida Writers Association (FWA) Royal Palm Award for an unpublished children’s book in 2023.
When she's not writing, Jill dances on her roller skates and raises butterflies in her Florida garden. She’s a member of SCBWI, FWA, and the Central Park Dance Skaters Association. Joyce Sweeney is her agent.
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/jill_watson326
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/jill.watson.3557/
LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jill-watson-3013736/
Website:
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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:
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/MindyAlyseWeiss
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/mindyalyseweiss/
Facebook:
Anna Wenner
Anna Wenner is a freelance writer whose work has appeared in Wirecutter (The New York Times), Reviewed (USA Today), Lovepop, Hallmark, and more. When she’s not writing, she can be found hanging out with her enormous dog and tiny cat while she reads, watches nerdy shows, and plays video games. As a queer, neurodiverse writer, Anna is passionate about creating art that is inclusive, accessible, and meaningful to those who need it most.
Website:
Twitter:
Instagram:
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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
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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
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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:
Instagram:
@DrZatHome
Facebook:
@DrZatHome
Twitter:
@home_zat
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
Maritess Zurbano
Maritess Zurbano is a Hedgebrook, VONA, and Jack Straw Fellow. She served as artist-in-residence at both Harvestworks NYC and at The Asian American Arts Alliance. Zurbano has been published in The Chicago Reader, Ms. Magazine, The Seattle Times, and Berkeley’s Maganda Magazine. In 2003, she was nominated at the Fédération Internationale des Sociétés Magiques. She starred in an illusion show in Japan and is a former Las Vegas Blackjack Dealer and professional Baccarat player. Her one-woman show is her search for family and belonging in the white-male tradition of magic. Her plays have been produced off-Broadway in New York at Ars Nova, The NYC International Fringe Festival and in dramaturg collaboration with The Public Theater NYC.
Website:
MagicIsAwesome.com
IG:
@MaritessZurbano
Twitter:
@MamaMagic666