Interview Tuesdays

Alexandra Diaz is the award winning children’s book author of The Only Road and its sequel, The Crossroads, and also Santiago’s Road Home and Farewell Cuba, mi isla. Along with her mother, she translated the four books into Spanish, El único destino, La encrucijada, La travesía de Santiago, and Hasta siempre Cuba, mi isla. The Only Road is the recipient of multiple awards, including the Pura Belpré Honor and Américas Award, among others. Her other books include Good Girls Don’t Lie (a New Mexico-Arizona Book Award finalist and International Latino Book Award 2nd place winner) and Of All the Stupid Things, (a New Mexico-Arizona Book Award finalist and ALA Rainbow List book), both for young adults.An overactive imagination had her making up stories at an early age and led to getting an MA in Writing for Young People from Bath Spa University. The daughter of Cuban refugees, she is a native Spanish speaker who currently lives in Santa Fe, NM.Learn more at https://alexandra-diaz.com/

Pooja Makhijani is the author of Mama’s Saris, Bread Is Love, Together For Mama, and Aunties.Her bylines have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, NPR, Real Simple, The Atlantic, WSJ.com, The Cut, Teen Vogue, Epicurious, Publishers Weekly, ELLE, Bon Appétit, The Kitchn, BuzzFeed, and Catapult among others. Learn more at: https://www.poojamakhijani.com/

Melissa Taylor is a mom of two girls, an education blogger & writer, a children’s book expert, a former award-winning bilingual teacher with an M.A. in Education, a former literacy trainer for teachers, and a passionate advocate for literacy, representation in children’s literature, and high-quality education. She has taught ESL, bilingual kindergarten, bilingual 4/5, 4th, and 5th grades, and coached teachers in K-12 grades. In addition, she was a four-time consecutive winner of Outstanding Teacher in Douglas County, Colorado. She loves to make learning fun, engaging, and meaningful for kids by providing helpful information and resources for parents, grandparents, teachers, and librarians.She consults with children’s authors and illustrators in her business, Imagination Soup Consulting. In that capacity, she helps authors improve their school visits with presentation tips and personalized, interactive, and educational activities customized to their books. She also supports authors with publicity, marketing, and author branding.She's the Communications Chair for The Right Step Board of Directors. The Right Step, Inc is an adaptive riding barn that serves veterans and adults and children with disabilities.Learn more at: https://melissataylor.net/

Claudia Rueda is a Colombian author and a New York Times Best Seller illustrator of over thirty picture books. Rueda's books have been published in the United States, Mexico, and Spain and have been translated into seventeen different languages. She’s a 2016 Hans Christian Andersen and Astrid Lindgren Awards nominee. Claudia went to Law and Art school and worked as a political cartoonist in Colombia. She then studied Children’s Book Illustration at UC Berkeley and holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Lesley University in Cambridge, MA. Claudia lives in New York City and teaches a course on picture books at the School of Visual Arts. Learn more at: https://claudiarueda.com/

Olivia Abtahi is a proud Iranian Argentinian American. Her debut novel, Perfectly Parvin, was published in 2021, receiving the SCBWI Golden Kite Honor, YALSA Odyssey Honor, and numerous starred reviews. Her sophomore novel, Azar on Fire, was published in August 2022 and is a SLJ pick. Olivia's third novel, Twin Flames, is a New Visions Award winner and published in August 2024. The Interpreter is her first picture book, receiving five starred reviews. She currently lives in Denver, Colorado, with her husband and children.Learn more at https://www.oliviaabtahi.com/

Rebecca K. Morrison was born in Iran, immigrated to the United States in her teens, and now lives in the Washington, DC, area. In 2020, after practicing law for over two decades, Rebecca decided to pursue her dreams of becoming a writer. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, NBC News, Newsweek, The Independent and HuffPost, among others. Her debut novel, The Blue Dress, based on her childhood as an Iranian immigrant trying to fit into her family's expectations of beauty and her American homeland is coming out on March 24, 2026. Learn more at: https://www.rebeccakmorrison.com/

Amy Seto Forrester (she/her) is passionate about diverse, engaging books for developing readers. She draws on a decade of experience as a children’s librarian, a background in the performing arts, and a lifelong love of puzzles, mazes, and all forms of interactive learning. Amy served on the 2016 Geisel Award Committee. She has written pieces for Booklist, School Library Journal, and Calling Caldecott. She currently reviews for Kirkus. Happily rain-drenched, Amy thrives in the Pacific Northwest. She proudly identifies as mixed-race Chinese American. Learn more at https://www.amysetoforrester.com/Andy Chou Musser makes books for kids.He is the author and illustrator of the picture book A Home Under the Stars, co-creator of the picture book Papilio with Ben Clanton and Corey R. Tabor, and co-creator of two series for young readers: Science Explorers with Amy Seto Forrester and Ploof with Ben Clanton.Andy lives in Seattle, where he can also be found rock climbing, eating donuts, and planning adventures.Andy proudly identifies as mixed-raced Chinese American.Learn more at https://andychoumusser.com/

Nicholas Manning is an educator and writer passionate about nurturing emotional growth through literature. Drawing on twelve years of teaching middle school language arts and experience illustrating children's books, he now authors Angel Among Us. Inspired by his mother's passing and written for his twin sons, this book serves as a gentle, visually engaging resource to help children process loss and grief. Nicholas lives in Pittsburgh with his husband, James Allen, their twin boys, and their French bulldog, Cooper. Learn more at: https://www.blueballoonbooks.com/authors/nicholas-manning

Dan Gemeinhart lives in a small town smack dab in the middle of Washington state with his wife and three young daughters. He was lucky and grateful to be a teacher-librarian in an elementary school for thirteen years, where he got to share awesome books with awesome kids. He loves camping, cooking and traveling. He also plays guitar (badly) and reads (constantly). His house is always a mess. He is really pretty darn happy. Learn more at: www.dangemeinhart.com

Kathy Kacer is a multiple award-winning author whose books have sold in over twenty countries and have been translated into many languages. Her novels are stories of hope, courage, and humanity in the face of overwhelming adversity.These days, in addition to writing, she speaks to young people in schools and libraries around the world, about the importance of understanding the Holocaust and keeping its memory alive. She also speaks in universities and colleges on the topic of teaching sensitive material to young people.Learn more at www.kathykacer.com

Donna Galanti wanted to be a writer ever since she attended an English school, housed in a magical castle, where her wild imagination was held back only by her itchy uniform (bowler hat and tie included!).She is the author of middle-grade books with the Unicorn Island series, Joshua and the Lightning Road series, and Loon Cove Summer. She’s also the author of the paranormal suspense Element Trilogy for adults. She has lived in fun locations including England, her family-owned campground in New Hampshire, and in Hawaii where she served as a U.S. Navy photographer for Fleet Intelligence Pacific.Donna is an avid outdoor adventurer and nature lover. She volunteers for the Old-Growth Forest Network and the National Audubon Society. When Donna’s not wandering the woods seeking magic and wonder, you can usually find her biking or kayaking. For more information on her books, online courses, and events, visit her at: www.donnagalanti.com.

Kathy Akopov Guillory grew up in the USSR and immigrated to the United States with her family when she was nine years old. She struggled to make friends at a new school in an entirely new country and leaned on her grandma, Baba Emma, for support, which inspired her book The Adventures of Belle Bear. By day, she is a marketing consultant who lives in Maine with her husband, Chris; daughters, Emma and Eleanor; and their two dogs, Half Pint and Dr. Watson. Learn more at https://bellebearbooks.com/

Mari Mancusi is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than thirty sci-fi/fantasy books for kids, teens and adults and an Emmy award winning former TV news producer. Her series have been selected for major state reading lists as well as the Scholastic Book Fairs and have been honored by the American Library Association as “Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers." In addition to writing, Mari loves to travel, watch horror movies and play video games. She lives in Austin, Texas with her husband and their teenage daughter.  Learn more at marimancusi.com

Lancelot Schaubert authored Bell Hammers, which Publisher’s Weekly called “a hoot.” He is a full voting member of the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers Association. He edits anthologies and journals; produces albums, films, graphic novels, picture books, and photo novels; raises funds, friends, and minds for artists. Learn more at: https://lanceschaubert.org/

Shugri Salh is the author of the memoir The Last Nomad (Algonquin, 2021) and a supporting actor in the Apple TV+ “Little America” episode set in an immigrant Somali community.She was born in the desert of Somalia in 1974 and spent her early years living with her grandmother in the desert as a nomad. In 1992, after the civil war broke out in her home country, she emigrated to North America. She attended nursing school at Pacific Union college and graduated with honors.Shugri has been storytelling since she could talk. From her grandmother and the nomadic community in which she was raised, she heard stories and learned of their power to entertain, teach, and transform. When she isn’t writing or telling stories, she works as an infusion nurse. Shugri Salh lives in San Diego with her husband and three children.Learn more at: https://www.shugrisalh.com/

Want an e-book copy of one of Mahtab's books? Fill out this Google Form! The first five responses will receive an e-book for free, curtesy of Mahtab Narsimhan: https://forms.gle/HRny4JvCbLMoZPrh9Mahtab Narsimhan is an award-winning author with numerous critically acclaimed books. She is inspired by life, love, and the desire to make sense of the world through stories.Learn more at: https://www.mahtabnarsimhan.com/

Rebecca E. F. Barone is an engineer who has worked on a diverse array of projects: injury analysis for the National Football League, knee mechanics during car crashes, development of gait biometrics, and engine calibration of hybrid cars. Realizing her love for books in addition to numbers, she now describes the world with words rather than equations. Her first book, Race to the Bottom of the Earth: Surviving Antarctica, is now available and has received four starred reviews. Her second book, Unbreakable: The Spies Who Cracked the Nazis’ Secret Code, about the Enigma cipher of WWII, launched October 25, 2022 to four starred reviews. Mountain of Fire: The Eruption and Survivors of Mount St. Helens, her third book, will be published Spring, 2024.Learn more at https://rebeccaefbarone.com/

Traci Sorell is a best-selling author of inclusive, award-winning historical and contemporary fiction and nonfiction in a variety of formats for young people. She is a two-time Sibert Medal and Orbis Pictus honoree and award-winning audiobook narrator and producer. Eight of her books have received awards from the American Indian Library Association. Other accolades include Charlotte Huck Honor Award, Septima Clark Women in Literature Honor Award, Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor, International Literacy Association’s Social Justice Literature Award Winner, Reading The West’s Picture Book Winner, and many Best-of and Notables lists.A former federal Indigenous law attorney and policy advocate, Traci is a Cherokee Nation citizen and first-generation college graduate. She lives within her tribe’s reservation in northeastern Oklahoma.Learn more at: www.tracisorell.com

Jed Alexander is the author and illustrator of The Fairy-Tale Color Collection, a series of wordless retellings of classic fairytales for children—including Red and Gold, which have garnered starred reviews from Kirkus Reviews and Publishers Weekly and praise from the New York Times. He has also written and illustrated for SpongeBob Comics and Cricket magazine. Jed lives in California with his wife, best friend, and favorite person in the world, Regina. Visit him at jedalexander.com.  

Lance Rubin is the NY Times best-selling author of young adult and middle grade novels, including Denton Little’s Deathdate, Crying Laughing, and The Lost Causes of Bleak Creek (co-written with Rhett and Link of Good Mythical Morning). He was an ABA Indies Introduce pick for Denton Little’s Deathdate, which was the ILA YA book of the year in 2016.  His books have also been Junior Library Guild selections, Amazon Books of the Month, and made many state reading lists.Find out more at https://www.lancerubin.com/

Jeff Gottesfeld is an acclaimed writer for page, stage, and screen. His work has won awards from the American Library Association, the Writers Guild of America, and the National Council for the Social Studies. He is based in Los Angeles, California. Visit him at jeffgottesfeldwrites.com.

Two-time Nebula Award-winner Fran Wilde has (so far) published nine novels, a poetry collection,  and over 70 short stories for adults, teens, and kids. Her stories have been finalists for six Nebula Awards, a World Fantasy Award, four Hugo Awards, four Locus Awards, and a Lodestar. They include her Nebula- and Compton Crook-winning debut novel Updraft, and her Nebula-winning, Best of NPR 2019, debut Middle Grade novel Riverland. Her short stories appear in Asimov’s Science Fiction, Tor.com, Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Shimmer, Nature, Uncanny Magazine, and multiple years' best anthologies.The Managing Editor for The Sunday Morning Transport, Fran teaches or has taught for schools including Vermont College of Fine Arts’  MFA and St. Mary’s College of Maryland. She writes nonfiction for publications including The Washington Post, The New York Times, NPR, and Tor.com. You can find her on Instagram, Bluesky, and at franwilde.net.

Chris Baron is the award winning author of novels for young (and young at heart) readers including: All Of Me, an NCTE Notable Book The Magical Imperfect, a Sydney Taylor Book Award Notable Book/SLJ Best Book of 2021 The Gray (23) a ProjectLIT 23-24 Selection Spark (25) from Feiwel & Friends/Macmillan The Secret of the Dragon Gems, a Middle Grade novel co-authored with Rajani LaRocca from Little Bee Books (23)He is also the editor of On All Other Nights: A Middle Grade Passover Anthology from Abrams (24). He is a Professor of English at San Diego City College and the director of the Writing Center. He grew up in New York City, but he completed his MFA in Poetry in 1998 at SDSU. He lives in San Diego with his family.  He is represented by Rena Rossner from the Deborah Harris Literary Agency. Twitter: @baronchrisbaronInstagram: @christhebearbaronLearn more at: www.chris-baron.com

Nate Moeller lives in Freeland, Michigan, with his amazing wife, Jennifer, and their two beautiful children, Sadie and Sam. The inspiration for his book Twinkling Wings and Toothy Things came from his daughter Sadie losing one of her teeth. When he isn’t working, Nate enjoys spending time with his family and enjoying the outdoors. 

Nathalie Laine lives a safe distance away from the ocean, in Paris, France.She enjoys: poking her finger into the mini whirlpools that form above bath drains, randomly understanding words in a language she doesn’t know, wrongly guessing the double-agent in cold war spy stories, sharing a Turkish meal of “Lion’s milk”, fish and turnip juice with friends, and getting spurned by grumpy cats. She may have snuck some of the above into Alessia in Atlantis.

Tomeko Brown is the author of AN INSTRUMENT FOR FLORENDA.Tomeko is a North Carolina native with a lifelong passion for writing, music, and education. She began her creative journey by playing the clarinet as a child, which sparked her love for the arts. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Education from East Carolina University. She also earned a Master of Education in Instructional Design and Technology from West Texas A&M University. Her graduate research focused on using technology to enhance and support student learning. Tomeko has worked in K–5 classrooms and holds a Certificate in Early Childhood Services. She is also a member of Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). Her work blends creativity, education, and a love for helping young minds thrive.Find out more about Tomeko at www.tomekobrown.com

Diane Namm has been a storyteller her whole life. She's authored over 65 children's books, YA teen romance novels, adult non-fiction books, and feature-length screenplays. Diane has written & directed stage plays and short films. But, at this moment, being "Nana" is the thing she enjoys most! #authorinterviews #picturebooks #whathappensafterdeath #griefsupport

Tiffany Moore was born and raised in a small town in Wyoming and is the proud owner of Emmylou and Oliver. During the summer months, she and her spouse RV around the country with these wonderful felines. They have such grand adventures exploring that Tiffany wanted you to join in the fun through The Magical Tales of Emmylou and Oliver series! Find out more: https://www.emmylouandoliver.net/

Teachers always told Jamie Scheumann to keep writing because she was good at it, but it was only a hobby for most of her life. However, as the mother of two daughters, she now feels called to pursue her passion for writing in a way that will create a legacy for her girls and empower other young readers as well. Reflecting on the scars from going through the loss of a parent, she decided that if it was her time to go, she wanted to have something her daughters could look back at. This cultivated in her a goal to craft a message that could resonate with any little girl, but especially with her little girls so that they could have something meaningful to hold onto throughout their lives. In the words of the author: "It's tough figuring out who you are and who you want to be. When you grow up with others constantly telling you who you are based on where you've been, it's hard to see the big picture. But if you just calm yourself, you can still feel it. You know what the end result can be if you just keep going. Bad things will happen, and that is okay. Life gets sweet when you just learn to pivot." 

Content Warning: The topic of this interview is a difficult one. We will discuss the Holocaust, including events that are violent and disturbing. If you need to take a break at any time, please feel free to do so.Author Frank W. Baker is the lead writer on the acclaimed graphic novel We Survived the Holocaust: The Bluma and Felix Goldberg Story. Frank has worked in television news, public education, and public television. In 1998, he founded the Media Literacy Clearinghouse website and began work helping teachers and students better understand how to think critically about the media.Find out more at https://wesurvivedtheholocaust.com/

Fantasy author, ER doctor, and proud dog mom, H.B. Reneau is best known for her character-driven, genre-bending fiction that draws on her experiences in both medicine and the military. When not writing or at the hospital, she can be found hiking, drinking coffee to excess, and getting lost in new cities with her spaniel Rory. Look for H.B. at https://hbreneau.com/ 

Caroline Adderson grew up in Sherwood Park, Alberta, which at the time was surrounded by farms and acreages. The housing development she lived in was right on a golf course, buffered by woods where she and her friends ran wild and only came home to eat.When she finished high school, Caroline left home to spend a year traveling around Canada with the youth program Katimavik, doing all kinds of jobs like sheep farming and carpentry and working in a French-language community radio station. She came to Vancouver to attend university and, except for a year spent in New Orleans and another in Toronto, she has lived in Vancouver ever since.Caroline began writing for adults first. When her son was five she wrote some simple stories based on the adventures they shared. Now she writes for readers of all ages, every day, even though her son broke his promise that he’d always be seven. She also teaches at Simon Fraser University and the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity.For fun, Caroline reads, gardens, paints, cooks and travels. She is interested in almost everything except watching television. Her advice to young writers is to read, read, read and write, write, write.Learn more at: https://www.carolineaddersonkids.com/

Jennifer Jones is an award winning author who lives in a small town in North Carolina, and Alex Flies is her first children’s book. She stays busy writing, writing, writing, and has several books currently in the publication process. When she’s not writing, she enjoys reading, the outdoors, spending time with her family, friends, and two dogs, and playing board games and VR. Learn more here: https://jenspen7.godaddysites.com/  

Sarah Allen is the award-winning author of WHAT STARS ARE MADE OF, BREATHING UNDERWATER, THE NIGHTMARE HOUSE, and MONSTER TREE.​Sarah's books are filled with quirky, neurodiverse characters, STEAM elements, and a sense of finding Joy in the weirdest and most unlikely of places. Her books have been Jr. Library Guild selections, Whitney Award winners, A Mighty Girl Best Of pick, and state award winners. Sarah received her MFA in creative writing from Brigham Young University and regularly teaches at writing conferences and presents at schools across the country. She lives in Orlando, and signed copies of her books are available from Barnes and Noble Plaza Venezia.In addition to writing books, Sarah also writes scripts and animated stories for English language learners and children’s articles for magazines like Ranger Rick. She draws silly comics and writes silly songs, and spends her free time snuzzling her two cats (named Timicin and Morticia) and exploring the furthest corners of Walt Disney World. She loves grizzly bears, leather jackets, and anything in caramel. Sign up for her newsletter to follow along and get insider interviews, curated resources, and behind-the-scenes stories from the writing world!Find out more at https://www.sarahallenbooks.com/

Christine Liu-Perkins was born in Boston and grew up near Kansas City. Reading has always been one of Christine's favorite things to do, and after her daughters were born, she started writing fiction and nonfiction for children as well as magazine articles for grown-ups. A big influence for Christine is having visited many parts of the world, including more than 36 states and 39 countries on 6 contents. She now lives in Colorado and travels to new places as much as she can.Learn more at https://christineliuperkins.com/

Jeremy Mueller is an artisan, baker, entrepreneur, and father of four. His builds have been featured in international publications.   Karl Buechner is a ground braking musician and earth/animal rights activist, known for his bands Earth Crisis and Freya. He has been writing touring his music for over 30 years. Keith Ward is a teacher, comic, writer, and board game designer/author.  

Donna Galanti wanted to be a writer ever since she attended an English school, housed in a magical castle, where her wild imagination was held back only by her itchy uniform (bowler hat and tie included!).She is the author of middle-grade books with the Unicorn Island series, Joshua and the Lightning Road series, and Loon Cove Summer. She’s also the author of the paranormal suspense Element Trilogy for adults. She has lived in fun locations including England, her family-owned campground in New Hampshire, and in Hawaii where she served as a U.S. Navy photographer for Fleet Intelligence Pacific.Donna is an avid outdoor adventurer and nature lover. She volunteers for the Old-Growth Forest Network and the National Audubon Society. When Donna’s not wandering the woods seeking magic and wonder, you can usually find her biking or kayaking. For more information on her books, online courses, and events, visit her at: www.donnagalanti.com.

Brendan Corbett grew up in a military family, always on the move, living in North Carolina, Virginia, Rhode Island, and Okinawa, Japan all before he was ten. Books were both the foundation of stability and the ultimate escape, companions to other worlds that could journey with him even when friends could not. Brendan has always been drawn to fiction and more particularly fantasy, offering the ability to travel in his mind when the traveling of his feet grew tiresome.As an adult, Brendan's career turned away from the arts. He has worked in places ranging from job shops to plastics manufacturing to nonprofit operations. While these roles have been fun and fulfilling in their own ways, through all these experiences he has been driven to return to his love of writing.Brendan now resides in Oregon with his wife, son, and dog. While writing consumes much of his time, you may also find him at one of his many other pastimes - cooking, gardening, hiking, playing piano, building LEGO, attending a show, gaming, practicing archery, volunteering, or woodworking.Learn more at: https://www.authorbrendancorbett.com/

Diana Schaffter is a teacher, educator, international speaker, mother, and grandmother. Diana is no stranger to adventure. She is fluent in Thai, has traveled to over fifty countries, raised her two boys overseas, and lived in seven countries in Asia and Eastern Europe for forty-two years, including two years in Pyongyang, North Korea, where her husband worked for UNICEF. Wherever she has lived, Diana has witnessed the power of human resilience, cooperation, and caring, which inspires her writing. Diana and her co-adventurer husband now live in Sidney, BC, Canada, where she continues to write, give talks in schools and communities, and work with young people. Learn more about Diana at www.dianaschaffter.com

Fleur Bradley is the author of numerous short crime fiction as well as novel-length mysteries for kids, including award-winning Daybreak on Raven Island and Midnight at the Barclay Hotel (Viking/PRH), and the Double Vision trilogy (HarperCollins). She is also a literacy advocate and speaks at educator conventions on reaching reluctant readers. Fleur lives in a cottage in the foothills of the Colorado Rockies where she likes to foster rescue animals. You can find Fleur online at fleurbradley.com.

Alda P. Dobbs is the author of the historical novels Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna and its followup, The Other Side of the River. Her debut novel received a Pura Belpre Honor and is a Texas Bluebonnet Master List selection. Alda was born in a small town in northern Mexico but moved to San Antonio, Texas as a child. She studied physics and worked as an engineer before pursuing her love of storytelling. She’s as passionate about connecting children to their past, their communities, different cultures and nature as she is about writing. Alda lives with her husband and two children outside Madrid, Spain. Find Alda at: https://www.aldapdobbs.com/

Kristin Nilsen grew up in California and Minnesota, listening to the radio, watching Brady Bunch after school, and reading after bedtime. Vinyl records were still a thing and she had her very own collection of albums in her bedroom — like ABBA, The Bee Gees and the soundtracks to Grease and Star Wars. This is where she met all of her first crushes; they sang to her from the radio, her record player and the TV and eventually decorated the walls of her room with posters torn out of magazines.When the lights went out at bedtime, Kristin would pretend to fall asleep and sneak a flashlight under the covers to read just one more chapter. She grew up in a neighborhood full of readers, friends who’d call her up and say, “you wanna come over and read?” And then she moved to a new town and felt like a huge nerd because no one else read as much as she did. That’s when Judy Blume became her best friend; she read every Judy Blume book in the library – even the naughty ones written for adults – because all the people in Judy’s books seemed to have the same problems she did. Kristin finally got to meet Judy Blume as an adult, when she was writing Worldwide Crush, and told Judy that her influence on Worldwide Crush was undeniable. “If this book gets published,” Kristin said, “you can consider yourself one of its creators.”Kristin’s upcoming book, The Scott Fenwick Diaries (on sale 7/22/25 from SparkPress) is the sequel to Worldwide Crush and Nilsen’s second middle grade novel.You can hear Kristin every week on the Pop Culture Preservation Society podcast where she talks about the totally crushworthy pop culture nuggets of the 70s and 80s with her co-hosts Carolyn and Michelle. As the show’s Pro Crushologist (aka Andy-Gibb-ologist), her job legitimately involves studying why she once fantasized about being married to Andy Gibb and walking around their shared apartment in their bathrobes.Today, Kristin lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the city of lakes, with her husband and her chocolate goldendoodle, Axl Rose Nilsen (fur brother to her human child, Liam, who is in college but somehow still has dirty clothes on the floor of his old room).Learn more at: https://kristinnilsenbooks.com/

As a passionate dance teacher, Terrel witnessed the transformative power of movement, and she’s committed to nurturing young learners’ creativity and confidence. On this mission, Terrel has published 40 interactive books under the author name Once Upon a Dance. Each weaves whimsy, inspiration, and joyful movement, and most feature her daughter, a professional ballet dancer. Truly a passion project, they donate all royalties this decade to non-profit charity partners. Look for Once Upon a Dance at https://onceuponadance.com/

Angela Hsieh is a Taiwanese American illustrator and author whose life choices can mostly be explained by her love of goofy animals. Her life experiences include fireman-carrying a sedated bear cub and catching a belligerent wallaby.****She also wishes to include a disclaimer that this all occurred while working in zoos and wildlife centers so as not to encourage this kind of behavior in the wild.Angela is the writer and illustrator of the graphic novel, LU & REN’S GUIDE TO GEOZOOLOGY, as well as the illustrator of the critically acclaimed nonfiction STEM book, ANTARCTICA: THE MELTING CONTINENT.Learn more at: https://www.angelahh.com/

Phil Hall is an elementary school principal who realized during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic that young people needed more than anything to learn the value of prosocial behavior—acting in ways that benefit others. That is when he wrote the first draft of The Day the Children Saved the World, hoping he could spread his message to kids everywhere. Phil lives in Rutland, Vermont, with his fiancée, Alice. Between the two of them, they have four young boys—Jackson, Lincoln, Harrison, and LJ—and two dogs. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his family, fishing, and playing with his kids. 

Tracy Badua is an award-winning Filipino American author of books for young people. By day, she is an attorney, and by night, she squeezes in writing, family time, and bites of her secret candy stash. She lives in San Diego, California. Tracy’s work has garnered such accolades as the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators Sid Fleischman Humor Award, the Children's Literature Council of Southern California Award, multiple selections as Junior Library Guild Gold Standards, and inclusion on state book lists across the United States.Learn more at: www.tracybadua.comAlechia Dow is an award-winning author of several acclaimed young adult sci-fi fantasies, short anthology pieces, and magical (sometimes mysterious) middle grade stories. When not writing, you can find her baking, reading, traveling, and exploring her local food scene.Learn more at: www.alechiadow.com 

Stan Yan is an award-winning, first generation American-born-Chinese, Denver-based writer, illustrator, caricature artist, and instructor.He's also currently Co-Regional Advisor of the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators.For more information, visit: https://www.stanyan.me/.

Antoine Bandele is an Amazon bestselling author in Action Adventure Fantasy, Dark Fantasy, Sword & Sorcery, African American Fantasy, and African Literature. He was born and raised in Los Angeles, though he spent one year in Fort Lewis near Tacoma, Washington while his father served in the U.S. Army.Since 2017, Antoine has written fantasy and sci-fi stories for and about the African motherland and the diaspora, whether for children, teens, or adults.Find out more about Antoine at www.antoinebandele.com

Liliana Tommasini writes stories encouraging children to explore and seek assistance when necessary. She also serves as an Author Coach, guiding aspiring children’s book authors in realizing their dreams of inspiring young readers.She is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators and the Canadian Society of Canadian Authors, Illustrators, and Performers, two communities that support literary creatives.She is happy spending quality time with her family, especially engaging in various activities with her grandchildren.Find Liliana at: https://lilianatommasini.com/

Gianna Marino was born in San Francisco and spent her early years galloping horses through Golden Gate Park. Gianna has written over a dozen award-winning books, including Meet Me at the Moon, Too Tall Houses, Following Papa's Song, Night Animals, Night Animals Need Sleep Too, If I Had a Horse, We Will Live in This Forest Again and she is the New York Times best-selling illustrator of Don’t Let Them Disappear, written by Chelsea Clinton.Though she still wanders the world, Gianna now lives in Southern Colorado on an elk reserve and works full-time writing and illustrating.  Learn more at: https://www.giannamarino.com/