Meet the Author
As a young boy, William Morkill loved exploring the woods around his home in western Washington. An early love of reading, nurtured by his mother, led to a life where books became constant companions. After receiving a degree in English Literature from the University of Washington, Bill moved to northern Idaho where he taught remedial reading and second grade as well as met and married Barbara. Following this were years of running a business in Spokane, Washington. Writing in his spare time, Bill taught his two sons fly fishing, chess, golf, and a love of nature. Along the way he encouraged in them a fondness for books. Mary Marianna, Great Owl, and the Chess Master is the first book in the Mary Marianna series. Bill and Barb live in rural eastern Washington.
Meet the Illustrator
Born in Spain, Susana Ramírez Solís studied architecture many years ago, and drawing and painting has been the biggest source of happiness in her life. Now she spends her days between digital and traditional brushes along with the warm company of her two kids in a small house in the countryside outside Barcelona. She enjoys illustrating stories to create new role models for kids so they can really see themselves in the books they read, feeling inspired and empowered.