About the Author and the Illustrator
The Author: Carolyn Joyce Dodds
Carolyn Joyce Dodds lives in Northern California where she has raised her two grown sons. She is a retired syndicated newspaper columnist and is now passionate about her role as a Special Education Teacher and Reading Specialist. Carolyn has an extensive background as a Behavior Modification Therapist, working with all ages of children and young adults on the Autism Spectrum. She has served as a strong advocate for families of children with special needs. Carolyn counsels burn survivors through the Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation under the name of “Funshine” and spends her breaks and weekends giving back to the community by volunteering her time to teach life skills, develop social skills, and encourage young people to be active through camping, rock climbing, fishing, and snowboarding. Tessa’s Tall Tales is the first in a long line of children’s books written by Carolyn. You can learn more about the author at http://AuthorCarolyJoyceDodds.com
The Illustrator: June Gomez
June Gomez is a native Californian. Her artistic talents were nurtured from an incredibly young age. Long road trips were taken with her sketchbook in hand. The cloud formations outside the station wagon window were her first creative inspirations. Soon, June’s youthful talents became evident to both her family and teachers. Art and creative projects became her favorite subject in elementary as well as secondary school. Voted “Most Creative” by her high school classmates set the stage for June’s four-year artistic journey at the Academy of Art, San Francisco, California. There she earned a bachelor of arts degree in illustration. Today, her professional mural work is prominently displayed in children’s rooms, dental offices and commercial spaces around the greater San Francisco Bay Area. Tessa’s Tall Tales is the second children’s book illustrated by June. The first tale entitled What if Strawberries had no Hats? as published in 2019, is written by Cassaundra Brown. This was June’s first foray into children’s book illustration and now her creative passion. You can learn more about the illustrator at http://MasterpieceMurals.net