The Authors

 

Sahara Powell is the creative voice behind the cuddly and lovable character, Lycaon (lye-con). Sahara grew up in Sacramento, the capital city of California, and moved to Southern California for college. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of California, Riverside, and continued her education by earning a Master’s Degree in Marketing Management from the National University of Ireland, Galway.

Growing up, Sahara enjoyed playing team sports, being an active Girl Scout, taking lots of road trips, and spending time with her expansive, mixed family. Her upbringing in a blended family of two parents and eight kids while living in a town where she didn’t see much of herself represented is what inspired her to develop Lycaon’s character.

Every time Sahara wrote a line for Lycaon, she included a piece of herself in hopes that children, like her, could see themselves in this unique character.

Sahara can be found on Instagram through her personal blog, @borderlinemillennials, and BorderlineMillennials.com.

 

 

Taylor Days is the creator of the ever so bubbly witch (in training), Luna LeBeau! Born and raised in California, Taylor completed her Bachelor's Degree in Sociology at UC Riverside. She spends most of her time improving her digital art skills, sinking countless hours into cozy video games and going on weekly boba runs.

The inspiration for Luna and other aspects of Three Little Ghouls stems from Taylor’s life-long interest in spooky and otherworldly stories. Growing up with a mother who loved horror movies, Taylor was raised on the strange and the macabre.

After years of experiencing these themes as an observer, she finally wanted to take on the role of a creator. Writing Three Little Ghouls and the First Day of School is Taylor’s first (but certainly not last!) venture into the world of children’s literature and she, along with the entire TLG team, is beyond excited to share this magical tale with all of you. 

Taylor can be found on Instagram at @icedteaangel and through her Red Bubble Shop, Cherry Goo.

 

 

Ambika Rajyagor is the creative voice behind the charmingly shy little vampire, Eli! Her personal experiences and love for all things spooky helped influence Eli’s personality and optimistic approach to his mystical world. She, along with her co-authors, is based in Southern California and also attended University of California, Riverside, before pursuing her career as a Digital Creative, activist, and advocate for the causes she is passionate about.

Through her creative projects, Ambika uses her personal experiences as a first-generation Indian American and her experiences growing up with her sister to help provide a unique lens and amplify voices of marginalized communities. Her advocacy and activism work is focused on Intersectional Feminism, Nature Conservation, and Disabled Rights— the last of which is largely influenced by her experiences as a caretaker for her sister Devika, who is both physically and cognitively Disabled.

Ambika’s work has been featured by Forbes, the Smithsonian Museum of American History, and the New York Times. She can be found on instagram through her online persona @GangesGal, as well as through the organization she helped co-found @DisablednOutdoors.

 

The Illustrator

 

Shelly Swann is a Filipino American author/illustrator and muralist based in Portland, Oregon. She aims to inspire people of all ages with her art and storytelling. She has a strong passion for illustrating nostalgic, whimsical stories inspired by the foggy forest treetops in the Pacific Northwest. She is currently represented by Jemiscoe Chambers-Black at the Andrea Brown Literary Agency.

Shelly spent her childhood in the countryside of Ohio, before moving to sunny San Diego, California with her family. She scurried off to complete her Bachelor’s Degree in English Literature at California State University, East Bay, where she lived in a co-op of 25+ students and young professionals, and became a proud advocate for intersectional human and animal rights.

Outside of her art career, Shelly finds inspiration in her everyday life with her favorite activities. She loves to go camping with her dog, play guitar and sing with friends, and travel to new places. In 2019, Shelly created her brand, “Fairywulf” and began her art career, with the hopes of using her skills in writing and art to create beautiful heartfelt stories that everyone can enjoy.

Shelly can be found on Instagram @fairywulf, and through her website fairywulf.com.