Maddox Lyons

Maddox Lyons is a twelve-year-old transgender boy who lives in California with his parents, sister, two dogs, and two pet rats. He does advocacy and outreach with LGBTQ+ organizations. Maddox loves drawing and writing, acting, figure skating, and getting lost in a good book.

Jessica Verdi is the author of several books for children and young adults, including And She Was, What You Left Behind, and The Summer I Wasn't Me. She lives in New York with her family, and loves traveling, hot sauce, theater, flip-flops, and all animals.

Dana Simpson, a native of Gig Harbor, Washington, is the creative force behind the internet strip Ozy and Millie and the comic phenomenon Phoebe and Her Unicorn, which is now syndicated in over 200 newspapers and has generated a robust publishing program. Simpson's books have appeared on the New York Times bestseller list, and won the Washington State Book Award and the Pacific Northwest Book Award. She lives with her husband and her cat in Santa Barbara, California.