With Tanya Stewner and books, it wasn't love at first sight. After her elementary school teacher said that Tanya would probably never learn to read and write properly, it was at the age of ten that Tanya discovered her passion for writing. From that point on, the stories just started to flow. Stewner studied literature and worked as a translator and editor for several years. She now devotes herself entirely to her writing. Her children's book series, especially Alea Aquarius, are huge successes both in Germany and internationally.

Matthew O. Anderson grew up in the sunny, sleepy town of Sequim, WA. As a young reader he devoured books of all kinds but was especially drawn to fantasy and myth. His favorites were Homer’s Odyssey, J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit, and J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series. As an adult, he continues to explore these and similar stories as a scholar and fan.

Matthew currently teaches courses on German language and culture at St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN, and has published articles on historical German youth adventure literature. His translation of Andreas Steinhöfel’s If My Moon Was Your Sun won the 2016 German Book Office’s Translation Competition. Although he has spent three years studying and working in Germany, he is still searching for an American bakery that can recreate the perfect Vollkornbrot.

Like Alea, Matthew is drawn to the water – the awe-inspiring, thunderous crash of the Pacific Ocean, the gleeful gurgle of the Black Forest’s babbling brooks, or the sight of a blustery autumn breeze billowing across the smooth surface of Lake Superior. In his spare time, he enjoys hiking, baking, travelling, and reading.