Deborah Ann Kessler's path as an author and illustrator followed roundabout curves.
She earned a BA in Photojournalism, with an Art minor, from The University of North Texas in 1994, but decided that she'd like working with children better.
In 2004, she completed the Teaching Certification program at the University of Texas at Dallas (Elementary Generalist, EC-4th Grades), where she attended two classes that each required the making of a children’s book. She loved the assignment and seeded the ideas for Victory Voices: The Inspiration Behind Joan of Arc, and The Energy Between there.
Upon certification, Substitute Teaching soothed her urge to teach children, while allowing time to write and illustrate. As a requirement of certification, she needed to attend continuing education training classes. One called “Teachers as Authors” drew her close. In the three-day workshop, the instructor taught her how to publish with Amazon. Deborah took those two books that she wrote back in 2004 for classes, tweaked the stories, and added more pages as well as illustrations. Then, she published them both and here they are!
Don't think that's the end of this story though! Deborah's currently working on a new story about a wild cat. She only has a few illustrations to go, and has to format it, but then look out! It's an unbelievably true story that will amaze you!
Deborah would LOVE it if you could read her books and leave positive reviews on Amazon. She also tries to respond to all inquiries in a prompt manner.