Karyn W. Tunks, PhD, is a professor of education at the University of South Alabama, where she teaches courses in literacy, early childhood education, and childrens literature. She is the author of several books for professional educators and the childrens picture book, JUBILEE! As the wife of a career Coast Guard veteran, Tunks has a deep respect for the USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park, and its mission to preserve history and honor veterans. She lives in the charming town of Fairhope, Alabama, with her family. Julie Dupré Buckner is an award-winning artist who specializes in painting, portrait art, illustration, and design. Buckner received a bachelor of fine arts in graphic design from Louisiana Tech University and studied art in Italy. She has been honored with numerous awards including an ADDY Award, a national packaging award for Georgie's Old Fashioned Nut Cakes, and praise for her work on advertising campaigns for Rolex USA, Mikimoto, and David Yurman. Her illustrations have been displayed at the Irving Art Center Museum in Texas and Children's Museum in Lake Charles, Louisiana, and her portrait work is held in private collections through the United States. She is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, the Portrait Society of America, the American Society of Portrait Artists, and the Louisiana Art and Artists' Guild. Buckner lives in Plaquemine, Louisiana, with her husband and children.
