Shay Youngblood was a playwright and the author of the children's book Mama's Home, the novels Black Girl in Paris and Soul Kiss, and a collection of short fiction, The Big Mama Stories. She received numerous grants and awards, including a Pushcart Prize for fiction. She received her MFA in creative writing from Brown University and has taught at New York University and City College, NY. A native of Columbus, Georgia, Shay Youngblood passed away in June 2024. At the age of five, Kristina Swarner decided that she wanted to be an artist when she grew up. Since graduating from the Rhode Island School of Design, Kristina has created many award-winning illustrations and exhibited her work internationally. She lives in Chicago with her mostly four-legged family.