Shirley J. Naas lives in a small, rural, one-stoplight town near the Shawnee National Forest in southern Illinois, the setting for her first novel. She shares her home with her husband, a quarter horse, a black Labrador pup, an older mutt, Keebler, named after a chocolate chip cookie, and two young barnyard kittens named by her grandchildren for their favorite Pokémon characters - “Persian” Paws and “Litten” Kitten.

     A language arts teacher for many years, Shirley taught writing and literature to fifth through eighth-grade students. Countless field trips into the nearby forest influenced her writing. Incorporating her knowledge and experiences with middle school students gave inspiration for writing the fantasy, Convergence, along with personal experiences, folklore and local historical facts creating the characters and plot propelling the reader into the story. Her storytelling began many years ago when raising two daughters and hosting numerous slumber parties. Oftentimes guests requested bedtime stories spontaneously created in hopes of coaxing the rowdy group into a period of quietness leading to eventual slumber. Today, Shirley spends most of her time entertaining her grandchildren, enjoying family and friends, writing, reading and traveling in search of writing ideas and adventures.