Authors & Illustrators

Calee M. LeeCalee M. Lee is the founder of Xist Publishing.  She holds her BFA from New York University and her MA from California State University, Fullerton and has worked extensively as a freelance writer, editor and video producer.  She blogs at www.CaleeMLee.com

Calee’s books include If I had a Little Boat, Caterpillars Don't Check Email, A Necklace of Virtues, and The Queen and the Cats.

Elizabeth Dulemba

Elizabeth O. Dulemba, also known as “e-e-e,” is an award-winning author and/or illustrator of fifteen children’s books including Lula's Brew, Soap, soap, soap and The 12 Days of Christmas in Georgia. She enjoys casting spells on her children’s book community in her roles as Illustrator Coordinator for the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators southern region, as a board member for the Georgia Center for the Book, as a writing and illustration instructor at various universities and venues, and by speaking regularly at schools and events where she mesmerizes her audiences At dulemba.com you can find her popular "Coloring Page Tuesday" feature, activities and more information related to her books. 

Brenda Ponnay
Brenda Ponnay is a stealthy secret agent who juggles parenthood to her adorable daughter by day and freelance graphic design/illustration by night. Whether it’s painting, baking, drawing, making castles out of cardboard boxes or just doing the laundry with flair, Brenda Ponnay has learned that what really makes her happy is being creative every single day. You can read about all her crazy adventures on her personal blog: www.secret-agent-josephine.com
Brenda is the super-sneaky author and illustrator behind a number of children's ebooks from Xist Publishing including the Time for Bunny Series, Who's There, Little Hoo? and Secret Agent Josephine's Numbers.

Turbo Qualls
Turbo Qualls is an accomplished artist and illustrator in the Southern California area. He is the illustrator of the comic series The Heavens as well as a number of children's books. Along with his wife and five children, Turbo attends St. Barnabas Orthodox Church in Costa Mesa, California.
Turbo is the illustrator of The Queen and the Cats and A Necklace of Virtues.

Tamia Sheldon

Tamia Sheldon is a freelance illustrator and designer working outside of Seattle, WA.
She loves making up stories for her funny kid and spends all her free time drawing, reading and taking pictures. With a B.A. in Design and Culture Studies she is intent on creating work that has a positive impact on the world.

Her books include The Hungry Shark and Let's Play!

Katrina Streza

Katrina Streza lives on a small ranch in Southern California with her family, twelve chickens, two cats, two dogs, one horse, one goat and one very noisy dove. While receiving her Master's Degree in Education at Pepperdine University, Katrina decided that her goal was to make class so fun her students wouldn't realize they were learning. She's applied that philosophy while teaching and tutoring kids from kindergarten to college. When she's not writing or teaching, Katrina sings in the choir at her church. 

She has written the early chapter book series, Candy School and several beginning reader books including My Cat is Fat and Train Time.

Nancy Streza

Nancy Streza lives on a small farm in a rural community in southern California where she volunteers her time as a firefighter, children's theatre director, summer daycamp director and worship leader. She loves kids of all ages, especially her daughters and grandchildren. 

Her books for beginning readers include What's Up, Little Duck?, Let's Go to the Beach, and Let's Go Camping.