Children's Picture Books

Dian Curtis Regan is the author of 60 books for young readers, ranging from picture books for toddlers to novels for teens. Popular and recent titles include: Princess Nevermore, Monster of the Month Club, the Ghost Twins series, Barnyard Slam, The Snow Blew Inn, Monster Baby, and Rocky Cave Kids. Coming next year is a beginning reader series called SpaceBoy. Visit her website at http://diancurtisregan.com

Donita K. Paul is a retired teacher and author of numerous novellas, short stories, and eleven novels, including the best-selling DragonKeeper Chronicles, a series which has sold more than a quarter-million books to date. She also coauthored The Dragon and the Turtle picture book series with her daughter, Evangeline Denmark. The winner of multiple awards, she live in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where she spends time mentoring and encouraging young writers. She is proud of her two grown children and she is entertained by her two young grandsons.

DJ Seddon, a Massachusetts native began her writing experience with her sister at the age of 12 with a 100 page children's mystery book. Writing has always been a passion of hers and so when the opportunity presented itself again through her photography, DJ decided to write about the butterfly and fly in North Cheyenne Canyon, Colorado Springs who were always together in every photo she took. The "I" in the title then easily became the character, Elissa who is the modeled after her daughter, Elissa.​ ​​ Besides writing and photography, DJ plays piano, on which she composed the music, "Innocence and Splendor a Colorado Portrait". She grew up figure skating in the Berkshires of MA and has danced ballet for many years in Florida and Colorado. She has also played the flute with several musical groups in CT, FL and CO. ​ DJ is married to her husband, Dale and has two children, Tom and Elissa. They reside in Colorado Springs, CO.

Mike Hamel is a storyteller by trade and the author/editor of more than 40 books on topics as wide-ranging as business, finance, political theory, healthcare, nonprofits, theology, and children’s books. He is a cancer survivor who has chronicled his physical journey toward the Valley of the Shadow of Death in Stumbling Toward Heaven, and his spiritual musings along the way in We Will Be Landing Shortly: Now What?

For younger audiences, Mike has written the juvenile chapter book series Matterhorn the Brave and The Lighthouse Company, and the illustrated books Lady Allium, Lizzy the Leatherback, Queen Quillabee, and The Legend of Songa Ping.

Mike's books are listed on his Amazon Author Page. 

To learn more about Mike, check out his blog OPEN Mike and his Wikipedia entry.

Joan was born in Anchorage, Alaska, and moved with her family to the Denver area where she met her high school sweetheart. Moving again to Hawaii and then California, she married her Marine sweetheart in 1977 and then REALLY started moving around the United States and to Okinawa. She moved back to the Pikes Peak region in 1985 when roots began to grow.

She has been a quilter since 1980 and that is important to her children's books because they are illustrated with her quilted pictures. She continues to write her unique two-sided storybooks and illustrate them with quilts, as well as creating patterns for quilters. She lectures and teaches throughout the region

Prior to moving to Colorado Springs in 2002, I wrote and published articles relating to community, current issues, family and local, and historical articles in the Phoenix metro area. My work appeared in newspapers and magazines. Shortly after moving to the Springs, I became a GrandFriend volunteer in School District 11. My grandchildren and the students I work with inspired me to write children's stories. Since 2005 I have written and published five children's books. Also I have had several poems published. I have done several author visits to many schools in Colorado Springs. I do an interactive presentation of my stories that includes fun facts, quizzes, question-and-answer time, and give-a-ways.

We moved to Colorado Springs the year I turned 13 and have lived here ever since. One summer I worked for the East Library through a teen job program. I now visit the Briargate branch with my children. PPLD has been part of my life for 22 years.