PRIZES to win! PROMOTIONS
Virginia De Francisco, author of Waiting for the Water Train, is a school psychologist and counselor with a passion for empowering children to tell their stories and listen to the stories of others. Her love of writing began in middle school when her teacher read one of her stories aloud, leaving her too shy to watch until she heard sniffles from her classmates. In that moment, she realized the power of words and knew she wanted to be a writer. Virginia now combines her understanding of emotions and human behavior with her writing, creating stories that resonate deeply with readers of all ages. Svitlana Holovchenko is an artist and children's book illustrator originally from Donetsk, Ukraine. Drawing has been her favorite pastime since early childhood. Later, her passion for art became her profession and aa tool for self-expression. Nature, travel, and meeting new people is an endless source of inspiration for her. She studied art at design college and worked as a visual designer. She later found her calling in illustrating children's books. She lives in Germany and collaborates with various publishers and authors around the world. Renee Bruns is an avid traveler and advocate for children and people with disabilities. She has traveled to 124 countries, all 7 continents, and all 50 states all while using a wheelchair due to her skeletal dysplasia. She became a Guinness World Record holder for being the first person to travel to 66 countries in one year using a wheelchair. She is passionate about empowering people to see the world, especially those with disabilities. Renee's website is reneebruns.net.
