Joëlle Retener

Joëlle Retener (they/them) is a Kreyol American children's author from the Washington, DC, metro area. A proud Spelman College graduate, Joëlle is passionate about sharing stories that celebrate Black pride and Queer joy. When they are not writing, you can find them gardening or tending to their small homestead. Joëlle lives in a cabin in the woods with their partner and three tiny humans.

DeAnn Wiley (she/her) is a self-taught illustrator with a Master's degree in counseling psychology, born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. She advocates for social justice from the intersection of multiple identities -- Black, Woman, Queer, and disabled -- and she stands in solidarity with communities of which she is not a member. When she is not painting, she's learning, growing, and healing, with each phase of her journey depicted in her art. DeAnn is the illustrator of Sarah Rising, the Sunday Adventures series, and her author-illustrator debut, Homegrown