Ruta Sepetys (rutasepetys.com) is an internationally acclaimed, #1 New York Times bestselling author of historical fiction published in over sixty countries and forty languages. Sepetys is considered a "crossover" novelist, as her books are read by both teens and adults worldwide. Her novels Between Shades of Gray , Out of the Easy , Salt to the Sea , and The Fountains of Silence have won or been shortlisted for more than forty book prizes, and are included on more than sixty state award lists. Between Shades of Gray was adapted into the film Ashes in the Snow , and her other novels are currently in development for TV and film. Winner of the Carnegie Medal, Ruta is passionate about the power of history and literature to foster global awareness and connectivity. She has presented to NATO, to the European Parliament, in the United States Capitol, and at embassies worldwide. Ruta was born and raised in Michigan and now lives with her family in Nashville, Tennessee.
Follow her on Instagram @RutaSepetysAuthor and on Facebook at facebook.com/rutasepetys. Andrew Donkin (andrewdonkin.com) has sold over ten million graphic novels, children's books, and adult books worldwide. His graphic novel Illegal (co-written with Eoin Colfer) was a bestseller in the USA and UK and has won or been nominated for over forty book awards. He has long been interested in the issue of refugees and displaced people. He has written for many global franchises, including Batman, Superman, Doctor Who, and Artemis Fowl. Andrew lives near the river Thames in London with his family.
You can follow Andrew on Twitter and Instagram @andrewdonkin. Dave Kopka (davekopka.com) is an illustrator whose work engages in print media in the form of book art, comics, and portraiture. He is fascinated with exploring the vast spectrums of art and illustration, employing an intricate attention to detail, and aspires to be a creative force in visual narrative through profound storytelling--usually involving the struggle to overcome, and the humor and misfortune behind internal conflict. He currently haunts Oakland, California. You can follow Dave on Twitter @DaveKopka and Instagram @drawkop. Brann Livesay (milkyaway.com) is a concept artist and illustrator with an interest in stylization and social change through art.
They currently work full time in video games, but their art has also appeared in comic anthologies, children's apps, and the sticker wall of that one pizza place in San Francisco. Brann was born and raised in the DC metro area but would later move to New York City, Albany, Miami, and finally Oakland, where they reside for now. Their interests include dogs and independently owned doughnut shops, particularly those that carry a strawberry frosted flavor. You can follow Brann on Twitter and Instagram @milkyawayart.