April R. Newton

She grew up in a peaceful farming community in Ohio, where the clucking of chickens often served as her morning alarm. Happily married to Tom, whom she affectionately calls “the greatest man on earth”, she is the proud mother of five grown children and the delighted grandmother of six. Her home often feels like a perpetual family reunion, only far more fun, with no one ever wanting to leave. She’s the kind of woman who can juggle freshly picked tomatoes in one hand while proofreading a manuscript in the other, all while calling, “Don’t touch that!” to a determined toddler intent on reorganizing her bookshelf.

Her career path has been nothing short of an adventure. She has served as a paramedic, saving lives before most people have finished their morning coffee. She has operated childcare programs, skillfully negotiating with toddlers and brokering snack-time peace treaties. As an artist and illustrator, she can paint a perfectly proportioned alpaca while simultaneously answering a five-year-old’s question about why clouds don’t fall. On top of it all, she teaches Sunday school, making Bible stories so engaging that children think they’re cooler than Disney.

In the world of literature and art, she is best known for her heartfelt children’s picture books, including Popcorn: The Wandering Little Lamb, Popcorn Meets Caramel, and Popcorn Meets Salty. Inspired by the 23rd Psalm, these charming tales prove that even stories featuring characters with snack-inspired names can teach children valuable lessons about faith, kindness, and why it’s never a good idea to wander off without telling your grandmother.

With Seven Spirits, she turns her creative attention toward an adult audience. Yet the same humor and heart that have delighted children (and occasionally outsmarted unruly chickens) remain ever-present. When she isn’t writing, teaching, or washing paint from her hands, she can be found in the heartland of Ohio, most likely offering a cupcake bribe to a grandchild in exchange for five quiet minutes to jot down her next idea.