Meet Your Hosts

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 Instagram @KaitlynLeann17 and Bluesky @kaitlynleann17.bsky.social‬.

Rebecca is a proud mom, picture book author, licensed mental health counselor and business owner. She lives in New Hampshire with her husband and son. In her free time Rebecca enjoys going to amusement parks, scaring her husband by watching too many morbid-psychological shows, drinking copious amounts of coffee and playing games with her son. Her debut picture book, OTIS HAS A BAD DAY (Pegasus Elliot MacKenzie Publishers), was released in August 2023. Rebecca is represented by Michelle Witte of Mansion Street Literary MGMT.

Find her at rebecca-ensign.com and follow her on Bluesky @rebecca-ensign.bsky.social. 

Monica lives in Brooklyn, NY, where she spends her days as a fashion and beauty copywriter (yes, naming shades is a real thing!) and her nights as an enthusiastically winging-it picture book writer. When she's not wrangling words, her two energetic daughters, or her running sneakers, she’s probably forgetting about her Bluesky account—but you can follow her anyway. 

Follow her on  Bluesky @midfreeman.bsky.social‬‬.

Alicia is a first-grade teacher, author, and educational freelance writer in the Washington, DC area. Her debut book for teachers, THE A-TO-Z TEACHING TOOLKIT, releases in September 2025 and her debut picture book, TIC-ERRIFIC ME, in 2026. She loves puns, pasta, and parading around town with her Kindle. Alicia is represented by Jen Newens at Martin Literary.

Find her at www.heyaliciamae.com and follow her on Instagram byaliciameyers,  X @byaliciameyers, and Bluesky @byaliciameyers.bsky.social‬

Janice Milusich never leaves home without a book tucked in her bag or pocket. That way, when a chance to enter into a story makes itself known, like when waiting in a long line at a store, or if an appointment is running late, she's ready to read. Libraries and bookstores are her favorite places to get lost in.

Her love of reading drew her to writing, though she didn't start writing for children until she began teaching them. When she's not reading or writing, Janice is a teacher for preschool students with visual impairments or blindness. 

Janice is the author of the chapter book series Cleo's Big Ideas; her forthcoming book, I Hear The Snow, I Smell The Sea, illustrated by Chris Raschka, launches in the fall of 2025.

Janice lives near the beach on Long Island, NY, where she walks the shoreline, finding rocks or shells that inevitably find their way home in her pocket.

Find her at janmilusich.com and follow her on Instagram @janmilusich and Bluesky @janmilusich.bsky.social‬‬.

Danielle Render Turmaud, PhD, is a kidlit author, trauma therapist, published academic author, Expert Blog Author for Psychology Today, experienced psychology/counseling professor, international presenter/speaker, Critique Coach for the Picture Book Author Academy, a Mighty Kidlit Leader, host of the You, Me & the Writing Journey podcast, and host/co-host of several other kidlit events and/or contests.

Find her at danielleturmaud9.wixsite.com/danielle-render-turm and follow her on X @Drenderturmaud, Bluesky ‪@drenderturmaud.bsky.social‬, and Instagram @drenderturmaud.

You can also find the You, Me, and the Writing Journey Podcast on X @YMWJPodcast, Bluesky ‪@ymwjpodcast.bsky.social‬, and Instagram YMWJPodcast.

Kristen C. Strocchia is a children’s writer, poetry lover, and proud mom of seven who believes in the power of words to steady anxious hearts and spark wonder.

She blends lyrical language, gentle humor, and emotional truth to create stories that help young readers dream big and explore widely—even when life feels overwhelming. Her characters don’t always feel brave, but they are full of hope and determination—just like the real kids she writes for. They are imaginative, uniquely skilled, and ready to make a difference.

Her work has earned honors in the 2024 Ann Whitford Paul Awards and the 2025 #PBParty and has been featured in Highlights: High Five. She contributes regularly to the #KidLit community as Co-Regional Advisor for SCBWI Eastern PA and as a blogger for Eastern Penn Points.

Follow her adventures (on the page and across the country) at kcstrocchia.com or on Pinterest kcstrocchia, BlueSky @kcstrocchia.bsky.social and Instagram @kcstrocchia.

Stephanie spends her days in IT and her free time writing. Her educational background is in mathematics, data science and computer science. She was a Kidlit Chuckle Contest winner (2025), Kids' Choice KidLit Writing winner (2024), 50 Precious Words honorable mention (2025 and 2024), and chosen as a #PitchMe finalist (2024).

Aside from writing picture books, she loves to write haiku. Two of her  haikus have been illustrated into posters via the Syracuse Poster Project that were displayed in downtown Syracuse, NY.

Find her at stephaniemstories.wixsite.com/home and follow her on Bluesky @storiesbystephm.bsky.social‬ and Instagram @storiesbystephm.

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 Instagram @KaitlynLeann17 and Bluesky @kaitlynleann17.bsky.social‬.

Jolene Gutiérrez has been a teacher librarian for the past 29 years and is a wife and mom to 2 young adults, 3 dogs, and 2 fiesty kittens. Jolene is represented by Kaitlyn Sanchez at Bradford Literary Agency and she's the author of the picture books Too Much! An Overwhelming Day, The Ofrenda That We Built, Mac and Cheese and the Personal Space Invader ,  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 X and IG @writerjolene.

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 X and Instagram @sarahheatcreate.

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 X @SarahJWMeade.

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 X @MikeIrvineBooks.

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 X @kristinwauson.

DK Ryland is an author/illustrator who loves creating funny and subversive picture books. Before she started writing and illustrating, she filmed wildlife in Africa, was a collegiate All-American and professional athlete, and was a teacher and coach. DK received a PBChat mentorship with Cori Doerrfeld in 2019 and was a PBParty finalist in 2020.

Her debut picture book, GIRAFFE IS TOO TALL FOR THIS BOOK, released October 17, 2023 (Page Street Kids). Upcoming releases include: HAVE YOU SEEN MY ACORN? (Flamingo Books, Fall 2024), GIRAFFE’S BOOK IS MISSING A STORY (Page Street Kids, Winter 2025), and THE DANGEROUS ALPHABET BOOK (Astra Young Readers, FALL 2025).

DK lives in San Diego with her super awesome husband, 2 brilliant kids, and far too many pets. Just kidding - there's no such thing as too many pets.

DK is represented by Kaitlyn Sanchez at Bradford Literary. 

Find her at https://dkryland.com/ and follow her on X @RylandDk.