Cassie Gustafson hails from Northern California and majored in words, earning a dual-BA in comparative literature and Spanish at the University of California, Santa Barbara, an MA in English literature at Cal State Fullerton, and an MFA in writing for young adults at Hollins University. Before finding her way to writing, she served high tea at a five-star B&B, tended plants in a lavender greenhouse, nannied, and taught preschool. Cassie enjoys ping-ponging around the globe with her adventurous pilot husband and their fluffy black kitty. Depending on the day, you may find her working on her next novel or toppling over in a yoga class somewhere. Cassie’s work has garnered the PEN New England Susan P. Bloom Discovery Award, the Shirley Henn Creative Writing Award, and the Ruth Landers Glass Scholarship. Visit her at CassieGustafson.com.

From self-publishing to some of the biggest book publishers in the world, Emma Vieceli loves telling stories with pictures and believes that comics should be by anyone, about anything, for everyone. Currently the writer for comic book Life Is Strange, she is perhaps better known as an artist, and her recent work includes Olivia Twist, Alex Rider, The Adventures of Supergirl, Doctor Who, Jem & the Holograms, the New York Times bestselling Vampire Academy graphic novel series, Back to the Future, and Avalon Chronicles. She cocreates the critically acclaimed independent web series, BREAKS with Malin Ryden, cowriting and “comicking” (art/tone/letters). Alongside comics, she worked on the A&E television series, Bates Motel, providing the sketchbook found by Norman Bates, and as an artist with tinyrebel on their Doctor Who Infinity games.