Bonny Becker is the author of 12 children’s books including picture books and novels. Her books have been featured in the New York Times Book Review, read on National Public Radio and selected for the Junior Library Guild and Children’s Book of the Month Club. She’s an instructor for the Whidbey Writers MFA in Writing program, a freelance editor and an experienced writing consultant with special knowledge of story structure.

Susan Blackaby has worked in educational publishing for over 25 years. On the clock, she writes fiction and nonfiction titles for the K–2 audience, early chapter books, and high-low fiction and nonfiction for reluctant readers. On her own time, she writes poetry, picture books, and middle grade fiction. Her first picture book, Rembrandt’s Hat, was published in 2002, and three more projects are currently in production.

Marla Frazee is the author-illustrator of Roller Coaster, Santa Claus the World's Number One Toy Expert, Walk On! and A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever. She is the illustrator of many other acclaimed books, including The Seven Silly Eaters, Everywhere Babies, and the Clementine series. She teaches children's book illustration at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, CA, and works in a small studio cabin in the backyard under an avocado tree.

Allyn Johnston is the editor in chief of Harcourt Children's Books, where she has been for 22 years. Among the many celebrated authors and illustrators with whom she works are Marla Frazee, Mem Fox, Lois Ehlert, Debra Frasier, Jeanette Winter, Cynthia Rylant, Arthur Howard, Avi, M. T. Anderson, and Ursula K. Le Guin.

Kirby Larson was inspired by a bit of family lore to write Hattie Big Sky, a 2007 Newbery Honor Award and Montana Book Award winner. A non-fiction picture book, Two Bobbies: A True Tale of Hurricane Katrina, Friendship and Survival (Walker), co-authored with Mary Nethery, is due out in August 2008. Recently retired from the faculty of the Whidbey MFA program, Kirby is a frequent presenter at writing conferences.

Dave Patneaude began writing seriously in the mid 1980's. His first novel, Someone Was Watching was published in 1993. It was named to eight state master reading lists, winning awards in South Dakota and Utah. His most recent novel, A Piece of the Sky, a tale of mystery and suspense set in Oregon, came out in April 2007. He has taught writing at conferences, community colleges, the University of Washington, and the Institute of Children's Literature.

Ann Whitford Paul writes award-winning poetry, early readers and picture books. Three new books were published this spring: Snail’s Good Night, If Animals Kissed Good Night, and Count on Culebra. In the spring of 2009 Writer's Digest will publish her book for adults, Writing Picture Books. Ann teaches writing at UCLA Extension.

Susan Goldman Rubin has published more than 45 award-winning books for young people, with a focus in recent years on nonfiction. Her titles include Andy Warhol: Pop Art Painter; Edward Hopper: Painter of Light & Shadow; Delicious: The Life & Art of Wayne Thiebaud; and The Cat With the Yellow Star: Coming of Age in Terezin. Susan has been an instructor for the UCLA Extension Writers’ Program for 20 years.

Elsa Warnick turned to illustration after a career as a gallery artist. Among her illustrated books is a three-book series on animal migration by Seymour Simon. Recently she illustrated the multi-award-winning Song for the Whooping Crane by Eileen Spinelli. Elsa’s own book, Bedtime, was a Children’s Book-of- the-Month Club Main Selection. Most recently she illustrated This is What I Pray Today, by Phyllis Tickle, published October 2007. Elsa currently teaches children’s book illustration at Portland Community College.

Emily Whitman attended three PNCB conferences and went from submitting first pages to working with an editor and agent. In addition to young adult and middle grade fiction, Emily writes passages for educational publishers, is a member of the poetry group River Rock Writers and a leader of library story times.

Linda Zuckerman has been a children’s book editor for nearly 40 years. She is the editor of three books that were awarded the Caldecott Medal and two that received Newbery Honor citations. Linda’s first book, I Will Hold You ‘Til You Sleep, published in 2006, was illustrated by Jon J Muth; her novel for middle grade readers, A Taste for Rabbit, was published in 2007. She has been the director of the Pacific Northwest Children’s Book Conference since its inception.