Angela Burke Kunkel is the author of DIGGING FOR WORDS: JOSÉ ALBERTO GUTIÉRREZ AND THE LIBRARY HE BUILT, illustrated by Paola Escobar and published by Random House/Schwartz and Wade (and simultaneously released in Spanish as RESCATANDO PALABRAS). After soaking up the sun in the Southwest for a number of years, she now lives in Vermont with her family, one dogs, one guinea pig, and one rapidly-growing bearded dragon (really, it’s rather alarming). Angela currently works as a school librarian and is a former English Language Arts teacher. Look for her next picture books, PENGUIN JOURNEY, in 2021, and MAKE WAY, in 2023.
Barbara Williams Sheperd holds an undergraduate degree from Keene State College and a Master’s in Counseling from Antioch University. She studied writing at the University of Vermont, taking additional coursework at St. Michael’s College, and Johnson and Lyndon State Colleges. She worked thirty years in public education, five as a classroom teacher, and twenty-five as a middle, or high school counselor. She retired from the Essex High School Counseling Department in 2003.
Barbara honed her skills writing thousands of college reference letters, guidance newsletters and directives. Her short stories and articles have been published in Mainstream Magazine, Keene State Today, The Barton Chronicle and the St. Albans Messenger. During the two years she worked for the University of Vermont Extension Service, she wrote a weekly column for The News and Citizen and a monthly newsletter for 4-H families. She even tried her hand at writing blogs for the Flynn Theatre.
During the summers, Barbara lives a quiet life on a small Northern Vermont lake. She recently took up fishing to pass the time during this Covid-isolation-summer, and as an excuse to get out on the water. When winter approaches she flies away to her Florida property with the rest of the snowbirds. There, she starts her day walking the undeveloped trails in her neighborhood, then moves on to creative pursuits.
In addition to writing, Barbara is passionate about genealogy and restoring vintage photographs. She played guitar in a Ceilidh group and clarinet in the Newport Community Band. She sang with Northsong, a Classical Chorus, for sixteen years until the Covid pandemic shuttered the doors on group activities. She started a knitting group at the Goodrich Library that lasted over ten years, again, furloughed by Covid-19.
Barbara has three grown children, and six delightful grandchildren who are not furloughed by the pandemic. People say of her, she makes a friend everywhere she goes.
Vermont authors are invited to join the Vermont Authors Fest Facebook group.
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Christy Mihaly, Vermont author writes for young readers because she believes that our best hope for the future is raising kids who love to read. Her 2020 book, "Free for You and Me: What Our First Amendment Means" (Albert Whitman Co.) celebrates our First Amendment freedoms with poems and stories – including that of Vermont patriot Matthew Lyon.
Christy's other books include the YA nonfiction "Diet for a Changing Climate: Food for Thought," co-written with Sue Heavenrich (Lerner/TFCB, 2018); and the picture book Hey, Hey, Hay! (A Tale of Bales and the Machines That Make Them) (Holiday House, 2018), a Bank Street Best Book of the Year. A former lawyer, Christy has written more than 20 children's nonfiction titles on topics from free speech to food to fashion. She also writes articles, stories and poetry, and enjoys walking her dog in the woods and playing the cello (though not simultaneously).
East Calais, VT 05650
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John & Jennifer Churchman are artists, photographers, authors and farmers, bringing stories of their farm adventure to life for everyone to enjoy.
John and his wife Jennifer bring their talents together to give voice to the stories of all the animals that surround them and add boundless enjoyment to their lives. They have made their home on a small farm in the beautiful countryside of Essex, Vermont, with their daughter Gabrielle. Sweet Pea & Friends is their first series.
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Louella Bryant’s novel Cowboy Code is based on the true story of a Virginia mountain town. Other books include While In Darkness There Is Light, nonfiction about the Vietnam era, a story collection, and two Civil War novels for young adult readers. Her award-winning writing has appeared in magazines and anthologies. A graduate of George Washington University and Vermont College of Fine Arts, Louella works as an independent editor. Visit her website at https://louellabryant.com.
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