Meet Your Hosts

Kaitlyn Leann Sanchez

Kaitlyn Leann Sanchez is a mom, wife, junior high school math teacher, literary agent, & contest host for #SpringFlingKidlit, #FallWritingFrenzy, & #KidlitZombieWeek

In her free time, she loves playing soccer, binge-watching shows, family time & of course reading.

Find her at kaitlynleannsanchez.com and follow her on Twitter @KaitlynLeann17.

Jolene Gutiérrez

Jolene Gutiérrez has been a librarian for the past 26 years and is a wife and mom to 2 young adults, 3 dogs, and a kitten that plays fetch. Jolene is represented by Kaitlyn Sanchez at Bradford Literary Agency and she's the author of the picture book Mac and Cheese and the Personal Space Invader , Too Much!, and more coming soon as well as the middle grade nonfiction book Bionic Beasts: Saving Animal  Lives with Artificial Flippers, Legs, and Beaks.

Find her at jolenegutierrez.com and follow her on Twitter @writerjolene.

Sarah Heaton

Sarah Heaton is a CA girl turned PA mom. While her favorite place is still the beach, and her least favorite place is a humid summer, she loves exploring her new home with her husband and 4 kids.  When she’s not writing, she’s staring into the middle distance picturing her next story, ignoring chaos, dinner, and dishes.

Find her at sarahheatonauthor.com and on Twitter and Instagram @sarahheatcreate.

Sarah Meade

Sarah Meade has loved reading and writing for as long as she can remember. A native upstate New Yorker, she now lives in North Carolina with her husband, son, and daughter. Sarah taught elementary school for ten years, and now she's a full-time mom and a writer. Her work has been published in Hop to It: Poems to Get You Moving, Babybug, Ladybug, Highlights Hello, and High Five. She offers #thursdayreadthroughs for kid lit authors on Twitter.

Find her at sarahmeadewrites.wordpress.com and follow her on Twitter @SarahJWMeade.


Mike Irvine

When Mike was a toddler, he made up the word PookyHonk. When he grew into a full-grown person, he founded the animated video company – PookyHonk Productions.

Mike is a member of SCBWI, but can’t remember the acronym to save his life. He lives in an old British tavern in New Jersey with his lovely wife, two young kids, two old dogs, and possibly a few ghosts.

Find him at mikeirvinebooks.com and follow him on Twitter @MikeIrvineBooks.

Kristin Wauson

Kristin is a children’s book author/illustrator, art blogger and certified power yoga instructor. If she's not drawing, getting paint in her hair, or balancing upside down, she's probably making an enormous mess in the kitchen. Kristin lives just outside of Austin, Texas. She's a wife and mother of two boys, a dragon (bearded, not fire-breathing) and a big brown "Hank the Cowdog." Her debut picture book MR. THATCHER'S HOUSE released Fall 2022 (Sleeping Bear Press). Kristin is represented by Adria Goetz of Martin Literary Management. 

Find her at kristinwauson.com and follow her on Twitter @kristinwauson.