Interview Tuesdays

Kristin Nilsen  grew up in California and Minnesota, listening to the radio, watching Brady Bunch after school, and reading after bedtime. Vinyl records were still a thing and she had her very own collection of albums in her bedroom — like ABBA, The Bee Gees and the soundtracks to Grease and Star Wars. This is where she met all of her first crushes; they sang to her from the radio, her record play...

As a passionate dance teacher, Terrel witnessed the transformative power of movement, and she’s committed to nurturing young learners’ creativity and confidence. On this mission, Terrel has published 40 interactive books under the author name Once Upon a Dance. Each weaves whimsy, inspiration, and joyful movement, and most feature her daughter, a professional ballet dancer. Truly a passion project...

Angela Hsieh  is a Taiwanese American illustrator and author whose life choices can mostly be explained by her love of goofy animals. Her life experiences include fireman-carrying a sedated bear cub and catching a belligerent wallaby.** **She also wishes to include a disclaimer that this all occurred while working in zoos and wildlife centers so as not to encourage this kind of behavior in the wil...

Phil Hall  is an elementary school principal who realized during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic that young people needed more than anything to learn the value of prosocial behavior—acting in ways that benefit others. That is when he wrote the first draft of  The Day the Children Saved the World , hoping he could spread his message to kids everywhere. Phil lives in Rutland, Vermont, with his f...

Tracy Badua  is an award-winning Filipino American author of books for young people. By day, she is an attorney, and by night, she squeezes in writing, family time, and bites of her secret candy stash. She lives in San Diego, California.  Tracy’s work has garnered such accolades as the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators Sid Fleischman Humor Award, the Children's Literature Council...

Stan Yan is an award-winning, first generation American-born-Chinese, Denver-based writer, illustrator, caricature artist, and instructor. He's also currently Co-Regional Advisor of the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. For more information, visit: https://www.stanyan.me/.

Antoine Bandele  is an Amazon bestselling author in Action Adventure Fantasy, Dark Fantasy, Sword & Sorcery, African American Fantasy, and African Literature.  He was born and raised in Los Angeles, though he spent one year in Fort Lewis near Tacoma, Washington while his father served in the U.S. Army. Since 2017, Antoine has written fantasy and sci-fi stories for and about the African motherl...

Liliana Tommasini writes stories encouraging children to explore and seek assistance when necessary. She also serves as an Author Coach, guiding aspiring children’s book authors in realizing their dreams of inspiring young readers. She is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators and the Canadian Society of Canadian Authors, Illustrators, and Performers, two communities t...

Gianna Marino was born in San Francisco and spent her early years galloping horses through Golden Gate Park.  Gianna has written over a dozen award-winning books, including Meet Me at the Moon , Too Tall Houses , Following Papa's Song , Night Animals , Night Animals Need Sleep Too , If I Had a Horse, We Will Live in This Forest Again and she is the New York Times best-selling illustrator of Don’t...

Taylor Lahey  grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area. His childhood passion for drawing led him to a career in graphic design, animation, and art direction.  Câmbio  is his first children’s book and is a reflection of why he writes: to share his vision for a more beautiful world. Today, Taylor resides in Santa Cruz, California, where he works to impact his community.  Learn more at:  https://www.ca...

Johan Ingler is a screenwriter and author based in Sweden. Check out more about him and his work in this author interview! Frankie & Chair is his first novel, independently published. Johan is not represented by any literary agency as a screenwriter or author. Find him on Imdb or LinkedIn, and he’d love to connect with readers and book lovers on Instagram. You can also learn more on his websit...

Kaz Windness is the Geisel award-winning, genre-crossing illustrator and author of funny and heart-warming books for young readers. Proudly neurodivergent (ASD/ADHD), Kaz specializes in character-driven books celebrating inclusivity, grit, and kindness. Her many books include "Swim, Jim!," “Worm and Caterpillar are Friends,” “When You Love a Book,” and “Bitsy Bat, School Star.” She is a professor...

Dr. Lisa Crim Galioto is a pediatrician who has been taking care of children and adolescents for over thirty-five years. She and her husband of thirty-one years split their time between Potomac, Maryland, and their creek house at Colton’s Point, Maryland (where Stella, Henry, and Owen live). Lisa enjoys spending time with family and friends as well as traveling, cooking, playing piano, and knittin...

Anna Kang, prolific children's author, is preparing for the release of her newest children's book So-Hee and Lowy, a story about a girl and her unexpectedly perfect pet. Due out April 22, 2025!

This is the announcement of the Interview Tuesdays podcast with @MaryLanniReads. The fun starts on July 1! *Music by Alex Guz from Pixabay