After retiring from 22 years of public school teaching, JoAn W. Martin continues to serve in a teaching capacity as a reading/writing consultant for

JoAn attends writing conferences and is available for presentations. Her volunteer work includes Women's Storybook Project of Texas. She enjoys working in her greenhouse and yard to escape the intensity of writing.

Me and the kids, Mother's Day 2010

I grew up loving school, especially new school supplies (who doesn’t love the smell of new crayons?). I loved school so much, in fact, I tried to make a career out of it. After eleven years in college (hey, I was busy!) Dad announced I couldn’t be a professional student, so I finally declared a major and graduated with my teaching certificate, reluctantly leaping into the scary waters of adulthood. Since then, I’ve been teaching 5th grade English and loving every second of it.

Wouldn’t it be cool if I was one of those people who said they’d always wanted to write and this was all I’d ever done? It’s the total opposite of what actually happened. I’ve been an avid reader since I was in the third grade and discovered Judy Blume, but it wasn’t until I read Janet Evanovich’s “How I Write” that I actually considered writing. I joined an amazing group of writers (shout out to all my friends at West Houston RWA) and the rest, as they say, is history. After several years, I was offered representation by the one and only, 100% magnificent Holly Root with Waxman Literary Agency. To read the story on how I managed to secure such stellar representation, check out my interview with fellow author, Vicky Dreiling.

I live with my family in Central Texas, where I read and write daily. I’m rarely – if ever – found without my laptop and iPhone. I have a life-long love affair with animals, especially dachshunds, and always have an animal or two snuggled close when writing.

Read more about Lara on her website: http://larachapman.com/

  Reading has always been one of Connie's favorite past times.  During her early school years her favorite reading material was about animals, especially horses.  While in high school she began reading historical fiction and claims to have learned more history from fiction than from text books.

   Shortly before retiring from her government job Connie decided to write a book of her own.  She didn't know what time frame she wanted to write about but knew she wanted it to be something about the settling of early America.  After much research and thought she chose to begin by writing about life during the American revolution.  Besides writing Connie enjoys doing volunteer work at the animal shelter in her hometown of Austin, Texas.

   While writing her first book Colonial Romance Connie got to know the characters so well she decided not to end the saga there.  Hence came The Bugle's Call, about the second generation of the Black family. Texas Bound is the third book in the series about the adventures of the Black family.

TEXAS BOUND
Seth had never cared for the easy life. When things got too comfortable he always found trouble--or it found him. He had found at an early age the prosperous plantation that had been in his family for four generations did not offer enough challenges to make him happy. In fact, the whole state of Virginia was too tame for him. So, as soon as he graduated from William and Mary, he struck out to find someplace he could have the freedom and space he desired. In 1836, after nearly a year of searching, he finds himself in Texas.He enters the territory just days after the small, inexperienced Texas army, in it's attempt to win Texas' independence from Mexico, has met a devastating defeat at the hands of the large and powerful Mexican army. After establishing a rather large and prosperous cattle ranch in the Texas hill country he meets the woman who makes his life complete. They raise a family and together meet the challenges of the unsettled frontier. Together they establish a Texas dynasty and leave their footprints in Texas history.

She writes picture books for shorter humans and their adults to share; stories celebrating families, dancing, friends, pets, and all that goes into being a kid! Most recently, YOUR MOMMY WAS JUST LIKE YOU and YOUR DADDY WAS JUST LIKE YOU (Putnam/Penguin); DAD AND POP (Candlewick Press), winner of 2010 NAPPA Honors and Library Media Connection's Editor's Choice Award, DANCE, Y'ALL, DANCE (Bright Sky Press), a rhyming, two-stepping romp; and NOT NORMAN: A GOLDFISH STORY (Candlewick Press), named the Texas Institute of Letters Friends of Austin Public Library's Best Children's Book for 2005, a Children's Choice Award, and Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Medal winner.

And for grown-up humans Kelly writes newspaper and magazine articles, mostly musings and travel pieces, and weekly blog entries at Kelly’s Fishbowl. She’s also a regular contributor to Now! Jakarta magazine.

At the moment, Kelly is obsessed with creating picture books. “Picture books are like icebergs,” she notes, “so much of what goes on goes unseen.”