Laurie Halse Anderson is the New York Times- bestselling author of many award-winning books including the groundbreaking modern classic Speak, a National Book Award finalist which has sold over 3.5 million copies and been translated into 35 languages. In 2023, Anderson was named the laureate of the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, which is given annually to authors, illustrators, oral storytellers, and reading promoters for their outstanding contribution to children's and young adult literature." In 2009, Anderson was selected by the American Library Association for the Margaret A. Edwards Award for her "significant and lasting contribution to young adult literature." A passionate spokesperson for the need to combat censorship and promote diversity in publishing, she has been honored for her battles for intellectual freedom by the National Coalition Against Censorship and the National Council of Teachers of English. Mother of four, grandmother of dragons, and wife of one, she lives in Pennsylvania. Emily Carroll is the writer and artist of numerous award-winning comics, both online and in print. Her debut horror comics collection, Through the Woods, won both the Eisner Award and the British Fantasy Award in 2014. Recent work includes When I Arrived at the Castle from Koyama Press, a baroque horror story dealing with lust and addiction, and a graphic novel adaptation of Laurie Halse Anderson's novel Speak . She is also known for the short comics she posts on her website. Emily lives in Stratford, Ontario, Canada, with two dogs and her wife, artist Kate Craig.