Linda (L.S.V.) Baker brings the characters of Baxter's Corner books to life as the author of seven children's stories that spur discussions between adults and kids about challenges that affect behavior choices. With a communications career spanning 35 years, Baker has held communications positions on several nonprofit boards and coordinated digital marketing programs for more than 40 cities in her former role as Director of Internet Marketing for Broadway Across America. Baker volunteers as a life skills trainer for men and women inmates and has led a Young Authors camp for at-risk youth for the past five years. Born in New Mexico, raised in New Jersey & Louisville Kentucky Mary Ellen Stottmann's art education began earlier than most. By the age of ten she was oil painting with a style that is still apparent today. After studying art in Paris, France she lived in New York City majoring in graphic design and graduated from the internationally recognized Parson School of Design, currently The New School. Her professional career began in 1966 working for an advertising studio. 1968 was a co-founder of a "Printing While You Wait" company which eventually led to her owning a digital offset printing company to retirement in 2005. Her career in printing allowed her to continue designing material for her clients; some are still being used today. One of the many opportunities offset print gave her was an amazing understanding of color and how it reacts by overlapping intensity. At retirement Mary Ellen began oil painting again taking a very graphic approach. Building the objects (and people) she usually paints over an intense color background allowing this color to form highlights or lines depending on the complexity of her pieces.