Our Members
Gloria Amescua
Gloria Amescua (Ah MES qua) loves books that reach a young person’s heart, head, or funny bone and strives to do just that in her writing. She is an educator, poet, and children’s book writer. Her debut picture book biography, CHILD OF THE FLOWER-SONG PEOPLE: LUZ JIMENÉZ, DAUGHTER OF THE NAHUA is written in verse and illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh (Abrams Books, Fall 2021). It won the 2016 Lee and Low New Voices Honor Award. The story is about the Indigenous Nahua woman, who grew up in Mexico during the early 1900s and eventually became a model for internationally celebrated 20th-century artists, worked with scholars to preserve Nahuatl language and stories, and was known as the “soul of Mexico.” Houghton Mifflin Harcourt acquired one of Gloria’s poems for its national textbook literature series. Connect with her at @GloriaAmescua on Twitter and through her Cynsations New Voices interview (scroll down).
Anne Appert
Anne Appert spent her childhood in New Jersey with her nose stuck in a book and a wild imagination that transformed her backyard into faraway places and allowed her to be anything she dreamed she could be. She still enjoys spending time in her backyard dreaming, and now her imagination turns her dreams into words and pictures for children. Anne wrote and illustrated her debut book BLOB which will be published by HarperCollins in Fall of 2021 with a second book to follow. She is represented by Charlotte Wenger at Prospect Agency. You can find Anne’s portfolio at www.anneappert.com, and follow her on Twitter at @Anne_Appert or Instagram at @anneappertillustration.
Kira Bigwood
Kira Bigwood writes children’s books, TV commercials, and much to her 10-year-old’s dismay, notes for her kids’ lunchboxes. She was once edited out of a My Little Pony ad because she was missing her two front teeth (not that she’s still hanging on to that or anything). Luckily, she has all her teeth now, and a much more positive attitude toward the editing process. Kira is a graduate of the University of North Carolina (go Heels!), and lives in Chicago with her husband and three children. SECRET, SECRET AGENT GUY, illustrated by Celia Krampien (Atheneum/S&S), is her debut picture book. Follow Kira on Twitter @KBigwood.
Jess Hernandez
Jess Hernandez has spent her grown-up life working with kids and books – as a teacher, a children’s librarian, a mother, and a picture book author. Her debut book, FIRST DAY OF UNICORN SCHOOL, illustrated by Mariano Epelbaum, comes out in Spring 2021 (Capstone). Jess lives in a very small, very LOUD house in Washington with her husband, their three children, a blind Labrador, and eight chickens. Find her on Twitter at @FinkHernandez.
Philip Hoelzel
Philip Hoelzel is an author, outdoor enthusiast, and baseball fan who’s fascinated and inspired by the world around him. He is a trained elementary teacher, fluent in Spanish and Portuguese, and has spent the last decade introducing folks to their outdoor recreation spaces. His debut picture book is titled PLANTING HOPE: A PORTRAIT OF SEBASTIÁO SALGADO, illustrated by Renato Alarcão (Atheneum, Summer 2021). To receive a publication date reminder, sign up on Philip’s website at https://philiphoelzel.com/. He can also be found on Twitter at @CotopaxiPhil.
Leah Hong
Leah Hong spent many of her childhood hours drawing stories, but it wasn’t until she had children of her own that she became reimmersed in the world of picture books, and fell in love with them all over again. A graduate of Emily Carr University of Art + Design with a visual arts degree in painting and drawing, she has worked both as an illustrator and graphic designer. Her lifelong love of drawing and storytelling led her to create her picture book debut, HAPPY DREAMS, LITTLE BUNNY (Little, Brown Young Readers, Winter 2021). She lives with her family in Vancouver, British Columbia. Learn more about Leah at www.leahhong.com or on Instagram and Twitter at @leahhongdraws.
Neesha Hudson
Neesha Hudson grew up on the coast of Maine where she spent most of her time drawing, painting, and playing in the woods. She is the illustrator of WALK YOUR DOG by Elizabeth Stevens Omlor (Putnam 2018). She has also done illustrations for Parragon, Ladybug, Babybug, among others. Her debut picture book TURTLE IN A TREE (Dial 2021) is about two friends, Bulldog and Greyhound, who have different points of view but ultimately see that right and wrong are not cut and dry. When not in the studio, Neesha enjoys spending time outside with her husband, their two children, two dogs, and four chickens. You can learn more about Neesha and see her work at www.neeshahudson.com. Connect with her on Twitter @neeshahudson or Instagram @neeshas_art.
Anna Lazowski
Anna Lazowski wrote her first picture book for a class assignment in the sixth grade and has been creating stories ever since. Now an award-winning radio producer, Anna got back into writing picture books just as her kids were outgrowing them. She has an MA (Journalism) from the University of Western Ontario and a BFA (Hons.) from the University of Manitoba and is a member of SCBWI. Anna’s debut picture book, T.REXES CAN’T TIE THEIR SHOES (Doubleday Books for Young Readers), illustrated by Steph Laberis, is launching in spring of 2021. You can find out more about Anna by following her on Twitter, @anna_lazowski, or on her website, annalazowskibooks.com.
Diana López
Diana López spent ten years teaching middle school where her students’ humor and unique insights continue to inspire her writing. Her middle grade books include CONFETTI GIRL and most recently, LUCKY LUNA. On the film side, her novel CHOKE was adapted as THE CHOKING GAME for the Lifetime Movie Network, and Disney Press invited her to write COCO, A STORY ABOUT MUSIC, SHOES, AND FAMILY, a novelization of the award-winning Disney/Pixar film. Diana’s debut picture book, SING WITH ME: THE STORY OF SELENA QUINTANILLA, illustrated by Teresa Martinez (Dial), is a biography of the famous singer and her journey to learn Spanish and break into the Tejano music world. You can learn more about Diana by visiting her website at www.dianalopezbooks.com and by following her on Twitter, @dianalopezbooks, and on Instagram, @dianalopezbooks.
James McGowan
James McGowan was surrounded by books for as long as he could remember—since his mom gave him the first A Series of Unfortunate Events book and regularly ordered the sequels through Scholastic book orders. All of those books led him to a career at BookEnds Literary Agency, where he is currently Associate Agent and Social Media Manager, building his own list of talented clients. Only recently, though, did he realize he could be a reader AND a writer. Now, his debut picture book, GOOD NIGHT, OPPY, illustrated by Graham Carter, is set to publish in Fall 2021 (Boyds Mills & Kane). You can find James online at www.jmcgowanbooks.com, or follow him on Twitter at @jmcgowanbks and Instagram at @jmcgowanbks.
NoNieqa Ramos
NoNieqa Ramos is an educator, literary activist, and writer of THE DISTURBED GIRL’S DICTIONARY, a 2018 New York Public Library Best Book for Teens, a 2019 YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults Selection, and a 2019 In the Margins Award Top Ten pick. It earned starred reviews from Booklist, Voya, and Foreword. NoNieqa is also the author of the novel, THE TRUTH IS. Lilliam Rivera, author of DEALING in DREAMS, selected THE TRUTH IS as a Bustle Book Club selection. Hip Latina named it “10 of the Best Latinx Young Adult Books of 2019.” Remezcla included TTI in the “15 Best Books by Latino and Latin American Authors of 2019.” Versify will publish her debut picture book BEAUTY WOKE, illustrated by Paola Escobar, January 2021, and YOUR MAMA, illustrated by Jacqueline Alcantara, Spring 2021. Lerner Books will publish HAIRSTORY in 2021. NoNieqa is a proud member of Las Musas, a Latinx collective and sisterhood. To connect, visit her on Twitter @NoNieqaRamos, Instagram at @nonieqa.ramos, or her website at https://nonieqaramos.com/.
Anitra Rowe Schulte
Anitra Rowe Schulte joined her first writing club in kindergarten and continues to love putting her heart on the page. A graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia's Journalism School and former newspaper reporter, Anitra is guided by the desire to tell stories that connect people. Her debut, DANCING WITH DADDY, illustrated by Ziyue Chen (Two Lions, October 2021), is inspired by her daughter, who has the rare chromosome disorder Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome. Anitra teams with Chicago non-profit Leading with Literacy to coordinate an annual Holiday Book Drive that delivers new books to children in Chicago. Follow Anitra on Twitter at @anitraschulte, Instagram at @anitraroweschulte., and at www.anitraroweschulte.com.
Debra Kempf Shumaker
Debra Kempf Shumaker started reading when she was four years old and has been surrounded by books ever since. She was a shy, quiet girl and books became her friends. Her favorite day each week was Library Day—those armfuls of books she checked out became her gateway to the world, far beyond the Wisconsin dairy farm she grew up on. Through life’s twists and turns, reading was her constant. She rediscovered children’s books after she became a Mom and soon realized she wanted to be more than a reader—she wanted to be a writer. Her debut picture book, FREAKY, FUNKY FISH: ODD FACTS ABOUT FASCINATING FISH, illustrated by Claire Powell (Running Press Kids), will publish in Spring 2021. Learn more about Debra at www.debrashumaker.com. Follow her on Twitter at @ShumakerDebra and on Instagram at @debrakshumker.
Brittany J. Thurman
Brittany J. Thurman began writing for children while working as a children's librarian in Pittsburgh, PA. Her debut picture book, Fly, illustrated by Anna Cunha, will be published by Simon and Schuster/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books, in Spring of 2022. In the story, Africa wants to compete in a double Dutch competition. She'll have to learn the winning moves, but it's the birthmark in the shape of her name that tells her she's a winner. Brittany is a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University, has an MFA in Dramatic Writing and lives in her hometown of Louisville, Kentucky. When she's not writing (or reading!) she listens to the birds on her deck, bikes along the waterfront, and spends plenty of time with her family. You can find her at www.brittanythurman.com, on Twitter: @janeebrittany and Instagram: @britjanee.