Jennifer Toelle, grew up in the Mid-Ohio Valley, and living her adult life in Central Kansas. She is a museum curator in a local history museum and owner of Janine Chellington Press. Jennifer has degrees American Studies from Columbia College and in the Humanities from Tiffin University. She resides there with her husband, children, and beloved cats. An avid traveler and genealogy enthusiast, Jennifer delights in exploring the world and uncovering its connections. She finds joy in connecting people, places, and things, often marveling at the intricate web of relationships that spans various domains. She loves etymology and discovering word origins. One of her true passions is designing publications. Jennifer is the author of the Kansas Wesleyan Pictorial History, demonstrating her deep appreciation for the region’s history and culture. Her love for storytelling and her academic background make her a captivating author and a valuable asset to her community. Jennifer’s other books include Adopting the Forgotten: Women Edition. The Sagacity Stories (January 2025), Book 1: Zoetic Solace (May 2024) and Book 2: Reaching for Reveries (May 2025).

Terri S. Van Slyke is a former NAIA collegiate basketball player, former USCAA college basketball coach, and former sports journalist. Her passion for mentoring and leading college students stems from her 20-year career working in higher education in admissions and student recruitment, student affairs, academic advising, marketing, and athletics, as well as her experience advising various student leadership groups and involvement with college ministries. Terri credits her athletic experiences and her faith in Jesus as the inspiration for her book, Warriors RIS3. She believes basketball teaches powerful lessons and provides athletes a skillset that can be applied to many facets of life. Terri strives to impact, inspire, and empower others to learn to RISE amid adversity by a strategy that she created called The RISE Playbook. She has presented this strategy to a variety of organizations, professional staff, and high school and college students. An avid fan of sports, sneakers, and music, Terri was born in Kansas and raised in Albany, Missouri. She takes great pride in her Midwestern, rural roots. Terri earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from Kansas Wesleyan University and her Master of Arts degree in Coaching and Athletic Administration from Concordia University Irvine. She currently resides in Central Kansas with her beloved cat, Marvin.

Jim Norton, a retired police officer with 29 years of experience, is a dedicated true crime writer who conducts his own in-depth research. As the founder of Gold Badge Writing, he brings real-world insight to his storytelling. Jim lives in Salina, Kansas, with his wife, Amy, and their German Shepherd, Hanzo.

Lucille (1924-2017) was a talented Kansas artist. She graduated from Emporia High School, the University of Kansas and Emporia State University. She was passionate about art and cherished her church community. She studied watercolor techniques in Japan and Monterey Bay, California. She taught art in several communities including Junction City, Fort Leavenworth and for 25 years for USD 379 in Clay County. She was actively involved in the Clay County Arts Council and St. Paul's Episcopal Church for many years. During her time spent as an army wife, she was President of Fort Ord's Officers Wives Club. Due to her involvement with the University of Kansas Alumni Association's Kansas Honor Program, she was recipient of the Mildred Clodfelter Alumni Award in 2003.