Born in Iowa, Celia moved to Toronto in 1975. Before that she lived in many places including California, Kansas, New York City, Rhode Island and Boston. Celia is a teller of traditional and original stories to adults and children. She is a co-founder of Storytelling Toronto, co-founder and former director of the Parent-Child Mother Goose Program and author of many award-winning children's books including retellings of folktales and novels based on family stories. She has been telling stories in libraries, schools, community events and everyday life and teaching storytelling for decades but has gradually been focusing more and more on writing , traveling and enjoying family and friends.

Karen Patkau graduated from the University of Manitoba with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Honours degree, and became interested in visual storytelling while studying for her Master of Visual Arts degree at the University of Alberta. She has been writing and illustrating for many years. Her work appears in children’s picture books, educational publications, posters, advertisements, magazines, package designs, greeting cards and art exhibitions. Karen has a life-long disability and walks with a prosthetic leg. Karen lives in Toronto.