Teresa Nordheim is a freelance author and illustrator from Washington State. In fact, it was on the front porch of her grandparent's beach house where she drew her first illustration. In third grade, she entered her first writing contest. Teresa belongs to SCBWI, has self-published four books, over thirty published articles, won six awards, and drawn numerous illustrations for both print and web projects. She strives to create writing that will inspire, motivate, and education children by transforming words and art into creations that will jump from the pages. "My favorite place to visit has always been the library. I can't imagine life without books. From the moment I could hold a pencil, I found myself writing, drawing, and reading. My idols were, and still are the greats, Judy Blume, Beverly Cleary, Ronald Dahl, Maurice Sendak, Dr. Seuss, and Jane Yolen." Teresa's ideas for stories and illustrations stem from interactions in her real life, as a mother and teaching assistant in an elementary school. Many times the idea for an article stems from her personal search to locate a book that doesn't exist. Before Teresa became an author and illustrator, she attended college to obtain a degree in science and nursing. After a few years of working in various nursing positions, she found the opportunity to focus full time on writing. She now uses her educational background to research her articles, and books. She now focuses on promoting her name via social networks, and improving her writing skills.