Laura McGee Kvasnosky has written and illustrated seventeen picture books and a middle grade novel in the last twenty years. Her books’ awards include SCBWI Kite honors for Zelda and Ivy, and the American Library Association's Geisel award for The Runaways. She has taught in Vermont College of Fine Arts MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults program.

Zu Vincent is author of the award winning novel The Lucky Place, the biography Catherine the Great, and numerous short stories, essays, and nonfiction works for such publications as ALAN Review, Harper’s, and Yoga Journal, among others. She writes for both children and adults.

Julie Larios teaches on the faculty of the Vermont College of Fine Arts MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults program. The author or four books of poetry for children, she has also had her work for adults honored with a Pushcart Prize and included twice in The Best American Poetry series.

Kelly Bennett is the award-winning author of many books for children—mostly picture books. Her fiction and nonfiction have been published in magazines for children and adults, and in newspapers.

Debby Dahl Edwardson's most recent novel, My Name is Not Easy, was a finalist for the National Book Award. She is an adjunct instructor at Ilisagvik College, Alaska’s only tribal college.