Carol Chiodo Fleischman is a professional writer who also happens to be blind. Her writing has appeared in books, magazines, and newspapers including the New York Times, Guideposts, Highlights, and Chicken Soup for the Soul. She has been a member of the Association of Professional Women Writers for more than twenty years and is a sought-after speaker. Fleischman is the recipient of the Best Article of the Year award from the Association of Assistance Dog Partners. She and her husband share their home in New York with her trusted guide dog. Stephanie Ford earned bachelor of arts degrees in both history and art from Stephen F. Austin State University and teaches high-school art and English. She is the illustrator of Pelican's Confederate Alphabet; Nadine, My Funny and Trusty Guide Dog; and Willy the Texas Longhorn and is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. As a historian who has adopted Civil War reenacting as a pastime, she focuses on women as active participants on the battlefield, particularly the vivandieres, or canteen keepers. She and her husband live in Texas.