As a visionary storyteller and animal activist, Erik Daniel Shein blends his talent for children's and young adult writing with a passion for CGI animation and animal health and well-being. He has authored and co-written more than 30 novels and feature films, including the animated fantasy adventure tale, The Legend of The Secret Pass (Lions Gate Entertainment, 2019), which first began as a co-written novel by Erik and fellow author, Melissa Davis. In addition to his writing, Erik is the founder and CEO of Shein Partnership LLC; a revered leader in the entertainment and publishing domains; and a producer, voice actor, and trained herpetologist. Growing up in Southern Illinois, Melissa Davis grasped for every book she could lay hands on, evolving from prolific reader to creative writer in her adolescence. But fate had a brief pitstop in store for her before she would become the published author of her dreams. Melissa spent nearly a decade teaching, before turning to her adolescent calling of books and writing, and so beginning the delicate balancing act of celebrated author and dedicated mother. Today, she co-writes alongside fellow author, Erik Daniel Shein, and lives with her husband and daughters in Central Illinois.