GABRIELLE K. BYRNE writes MG/YA fantasy in Olympia, Washington where she lives with her husband and two daughters. Gabby studied opera in Philadelphia, medieval studies in New York, literature in Scotland, and marine biology in the Pacific Northwest, but writing is the common thread that ties all her passions together. Her debut, RISE OF THE DRAGON MOON, comes out in winter, 2019 with Imprint/Macmillan. She is represented by Catherine Drayton at Inkwell Management. Find her on Twitter. Her web site is here.
LAUREL DECHER writes stories about all things Italian, vegetable, or musical. Beloved pets of the past include “Stretchy the Leech” and a guinea pig that unexpectedly produced twins. She’s famous for getting lost, but carries maps because people always ask her for directions. Or find her on Twitter and on her blog, This Is An Overseas Post, where she writes about life with her family in Germany. She’s still a Vermonter and an epidemiologist at heart. PSA: Eat more kale! Her short fiction for adults, UNFORESEEN TIMES,originally appeared in Windhover.
HILARY HARWELL writes dark, whimsical fantasy and atmospheric horror for kids and teens. Her middle grade fantasy, LAIMA MONTROVE WANTS TO BE A WITCH, was a finalist for the Eldin Memorial Fellowship in 2015. Her middle grade fantasy, THE TRINKET GUARDIAN, was a 2015 PitchWars finalist. Hilary studied anthropology at the University of Colorado and worked in the back office of a major Swiss investment bank for eight years, until she had an epiphany and decided to trade numbers for letters. When she’s not reading, or writing, or dreaming about riding horses again someday, she likes to hike the Rockies with her husband, three tow-head children, and their English Mastiff, Lola, in search of buried treasure. Lola tags along because of the bears. She’s also an agent with KT Literary. You can find Hilary on Twitter.
KATE HILLYER lives, works, and runs the trails near Washington, D.C. She writes middle grade stories by the light in the attic, and has three kids, one of whom inspired her first book with a whispered, “I take care of unicorns.” Kate is honored to serve as a Cybils judge for Poetry and Novels in Verse. You can find Kate through her website, her book blog, at From the Mixed Up Files of Middle Grade Authors, or on Twitter.
While mild-mannered in public, behind closed doors MARK HOLTZEN has been known to groove to his diverse collection of music, cook and garden with moderate skill and make weird faces at his children and students. You also might find him inhaling handfuls of popcorn, struggling to learn new guitar chords or riding one of his bikes through Seattle. And, of course, reading. Currently on a teaching hiatus after years in an elementary classroom–including science at a gifted K-8 school–he writes essays, middle grade novels and is working to create more regional history for kids. He continues to be amazed and thankful (mostly) for the universe and its inhabitants daily. His debut picture book was A TICKET TO THE PENNANT with Sasquatch Books. Find him at his blog, Twitter, Instagramor Facebook.
JENNIFER PARK lives in Texas, where she writes fantasy, scifi, and contemporary stories for teens and kids. Before becoming mom to two minions, she taught middle school art, and has degrees in museum studies and fine art. Her debut novel, SHADOWS WE KNOW BY HEART, released in Spring 2017 from Simon Pulse. You can find her on Twitter.
REBECCA PETRUCK is the author of Boy Bites Bug and Steering Toward Normal, both with ABRAMS/Amulet. BUG received a starred review from Booklist, which called it “…funny, perceptive, and topical in more ways than one.” STEERING was an American Booksellers Association New Voices selection as well as a Kids Indie Next List title. Rebecca holds an MFA in Creative Writing from UNC Wilmington, and is a mentor for SCBWI Carolinas, Pitch Wars, and Writing in the Margins. Visit Rebecca at http://rebeccapetruck.com
GITA TRELEASE writes YA fantasy. She was born in Sweden and has lived in France, Italy, and the United States. In her former life as a college professor, she taught classes on fairy tales, monsters, and Victorian criminals. Along with her artist husband, teenage son, and Maine Coon, Gita divides her time between a boarding school in Massachusetts and the Maine coast. She is represented by Molly Ker Hawn at The Bent Agency and her debut novel, ENCHANTÉE, comes out from Flatiron/Macmillan in January 2019. Connect with her on Twitter and Instagram.
Jessica Vitalis is a Columbia MBA-wielding writer and developmental editor specializing in middle grade literature. She also volunteers as a Pitch Wars mentor and with We Need Diverse Books. The rest of the time, Jessica can be found chasing her two precocious daughters around Ontario or changing the batteries in her heated socks. She’s represented by Saba Sulaiman at Talcott Notch and would love to connect on Twitter, Instagram, or her website.
KRISTI WIENTGE is originally from Ohio where she grew up writing stories about animals and, her favorite, a jet-setting mouse. After studying to become a teacher for children with special needs, she spent several years exploring the world from China to England, teaching her students everything from English to how to flip their eyelids inside out before finally calling Singapore home. Now, all her adventures revolve around her four children and within the contemporary MG books she writes. Her middle grade novels are KARMA KHULLAR’S MUSTACHE and HONEYBEES AND FRENEMIES from Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers. You can find her on Twitter.