Anne Michelle Lawrence was raised by firs and ferns in Washington State. Making a secret library in the forest, she learned to read under a flowering apple tree. Anne has always felt a special bond with bears. In elementary school, she wrote and illustrated a new bear story every week.

Caitlyn Foster was born and raised in Tampa, Florida but is currently residing in Los Angeles, CA. She graduated from the University of South Florida with her degree in elementary education. She is continuing her education at USF and has a passion for teaching and writing.

Connie Jones is a retired educator with 22 years of experience. She lives in Tampa, Florida with nine of her 12 grandchildren. She enjoys celebrating each month with them. When her other three grandchildren join her, you can only imagine the festivities!

Jessica Domer is an English teacher in Tampa, FL. After obtaining her master’s degree in English education from the University of South Florida, she became a teacher consultant for the Tampa Bay Area Writing Project (TBAWP) where she connected with the children’s publishing program and BeLeau Books.

Joy Austin lives in Tampa, Florida where she works as a high school English teacher. She loves reading and writing poetry. In her free time, Joy enjoys taking road trips to her favorite cities like Charleston, South Carolina and Boston, Massachusetts. Joy has always loved to read,…

Inspired by the strength, courage, and perseverance of her younger brother (Micah), children’s book author Mackenzie Snell began to write about his adventures to share them with the world, and perhaps at the same time, shed light on Micah’s condition and generate support of organizations like Micah’s Miles and other similar causes.

Meighan Melsheimer is an assistant principal with over seventeen years of experience in education. She specializes in leadership and organizational development, curriculum design, strategic planning, and coaching. She has consulted with educational, nonprofit,…

Pat is a teacher and has been teaching for 42 years. She taught middle school students in Oklahoma for 12 years, and she’s taught at the University of Oklahoma, where she earned her Ph.D., the University of Houston-Victoria, Western Kentucky University, and the University of South Florida.

Patricia Smith was born in Kaiserslautern, Germany but has lived in the United States since 1977. She has a master’s degree in educational leadership from Saint Leo University and has taught middle and high school English for thirty years. Ms. Smith currently resides in Tampa,…

Precious McKenzie is an associate professor of English at Rocky Mountain College.  She teaches Travel Literature, British Literature, and Environmental Literature as well as writing courses. She has been awarded a Fulbright Award to research and teach in Ireland.

Sarah Frank is a 15-year-old author, poet, and basketball player from Tampa, Florida. One Chance, Sarah’s first novel, was originally handwritten in a red notebook while she was in the fifth grade. In addition to One Chance, Sarah has published a book of poems titled,…

Stacey McGinnis was born in Queens, New York and relocated to Florida when she was 8. Her family wanted to escape the frigid temperatures of the north. Growing up in Holiday, Florida she attended Gulfside Elementary School, Gulf Middle School, and Gulf High School.

R. Emily Irby is an intermediate teacher in coastal Florida. She loves writing about growing up in a farming community in western Michigan. Her early life inspires stories about her family history and animals. Mrs. Irby believes that writing is a creative outlet that benefits both the writer and the reader.