Born and raised in Texas, I spent my childhood reading, swatting mosquitos, and chasing horny-toads (they’re actually horned lizards), fireflies, tadpoles, and anything else I could get my hands on. When I earned my Bachelor’s, and then my Master’s degree, from Texas A&M University in Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences, I doubt anyone was surprised at my chosen career. I was surprised, though, when life led me to total immersion in all things children, including more children’s and young adult books than I could possibly name. When J.K. Rowling finished her last Harry Potter book, leaving our family in what felt like a book desert, I began to wonder what kind of story I could write. My book-loving daughter asked for a complex story with danger, magical creatures, and believable characters-like Harry Potter-combined with cute little kids, silly animals, and the sweet innocence of childhood-like the Penderwicks. I could never replace these great authors-I wouldn’t even dare try-but, inspired by them, I had fun creating a world populated with elves, Sasquatch, dragons (sort of)…

Living in Fort Collins, Colorado, with an awesome husband, two terrific kids, and two sweet but nutty dogs, I now get to play in snow. And I swat a lot fewer mosquitoes. The only drawback is that, now that Sasquatch have come alive for my story, letting the dogs out in the middle of the night will never be the same.