Nancy Kelly Allen's route to award-winning writing has more twists and turns than a winding mountain road. She worked as a social worker and elementary school teacher. When Nancy changed career paths to become a school librarian, the route led her straight to the world of writing. She has penned more than fifty children's books, including the picture book, Cowboy Jesse. She has two master's degrees, Education and Library Science. Nancy and her husband, Larry, live in the log house in which she grew up, and they share their home with two canine writing assistants, Jazi and Roxi. Vickie L. Kastl was born in Central Oklahoma and fell in love with art in second grade after being praised for a drawing of Abe Lincoln. She graduated from UCO with a BA in Education, taught Art and English for thirty-nine years and was chosen SKIE K20 Innovative Teacher of the Year, and Oklahoma Art Teacher in 1991. Vickie has illustrated four children's books. She and her husband travel to collect stories, pictures, and details. She has four sons, five grandchildren and two dogs, Ritchie and Winnie, who pop up in most of her pictures.