About the Author

 Tony Steeno began this book project 7 years ago with the hope of conveying a single idea.  Seven years and innumerable manuscript revisions later, that single idea has been transformed into a story laced with a myriad of subtle thoughts.

Life experiences have informed Tony’s work on this project.  As a child he was mentored by a sculptor named Dallas Anderson.  Dallas was trained at the Royal Academy of Art in Copenhagen, Denmark, and was subsequently a professor of figure drawing at BYU.  As fate would have it however, Dallas and Tony shared the same hometown. In the twilight of his career Dallas returned home to create a sculpture for the city of his birth, and that is where he met Tony.  The mentorship involved both the creation of art and the philosophy underlying its inception: a combination of the creative process, coalescing ideas, and a craftsman’s commitment to the journey.

As a “grown up” (I use the term loosely) Tony holds a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Wisconsin - not your typical degree for an author/illustrator.  Yet, this educational path led him to an experience that underlies a good deal of his work. After graduation he took a job with the Public Health Service, and found a home in Chinle, Arizona - at the heart of the Navajo Nation.  Here he was welcomed by the local people, and invited to share in their rich culture. Additionally, the desert southwest, the mountains of the four corners region (particularly the San Juan’s in Colorado; Humphrey’s Peak near Flagstaff), and the regional art all made an impression on him.

Now, as a father, Tony cherishes spending time with his children - in particular story time! To be immersed in a book with his children snuggled beside him is one of the best parts of the day.    

Tony has returned to the Midwest and now lives in the Michigan, closer to his extended family, with his wife, three sons, a hot chocolate drinking frog, and in the winter - snowmen.