Susan Schaefer Bernardo believes in the magical powers of nature and creativity, and frequently avails herself of both. She is the author of Sun Kisses, Moon Hugs, a lyrical picture book about the enduring power of love, and The Big Adventures of Tiny House, an exploration of sustainabile living and the true meaning of home. Her book The Rhino Who Swallowed a Storm (co-authored with LeVar Burton of Reading Rainbow to help families cope with traumatic events) was sent via rocket to the International Space Station as part of the “Storytime from Space” program.  Her poem “Tonic Waters” about her mother-in-law’s death was selected as the winning entry for The Cancer Poetry Project 2 anthology and read aloud at the 2014 World Cancer Day Concert, and she recently had a poem published in the All We Can Hold:  Poems of Motherhood anthology. In 2018, Bernardo released her first novel for young adults, Inspired, which tells the story of a  teen girl who becomes an apprentice Muse.  She is a fierce advocate for mothers and children, and has volunteered for mothering groups, A Window Between Worlds, and Beyond Shelter.  She holds degrees from UCLA, Yale University and Pepperdine and speaks frequently to elementarty schools, and also to aspiring authors and indie publishers. Bernardo lives in Los Angeles, where she practices the delicate dance of co-parenting two astonishing sons, finding love and poetry amidst the ashes. Her latest picture book, The Artist Who Loved Cats: The Inspiring Tale of Theophile Steinlen, will be released this year.