Susan Schaefer Bernardois a firm believer in the healing powers of creativity. She and her illustrating partner Courtenay Fletcher released their first book in 2012, forming their own indie publishing company Inner Flower Child Books with a mission to produce books to heal and inspire children of all ages. Bernardo is the award-winning author of Sun Kisses, Moon Hugs, a lyrical picture book about the enduring power of love.  Her second children’s book The Rhino Who Swallowed a Storm(co-authored with LeVar Burton of Reading Rainbow) helps families cope with traumatic events, and was sent via rocket to the International Space Station as part of the “Storytime from Space” program and also read aloud by First Lady Michelle Obama! Her third picture book, The Big Adventures of Tiny House, is the story of a recycled tiny house on wheels who sets off across America to find the meaning of home. In 2018, she published Inspired, her first novel for tweens and teens - the story of a 14-year-old girl named Rocket who discovers she is descended from Greek Muses and must balance middle school with magical Muse training. And most recently, she and Fletcher published a picture book biography titled The Artist Who Loved Cats: The Inspiring Tale of Theophile-Alexandre Steinlen, about the artist behind the iconic Le Chat Noir cabaret poster.

Bernardo is also a published poet, whose poem “Tonic Waters” about her mother-in-law’s death was selected as the winning entry for The Cancer Poetry Project 2 anthology and read aloud at the 2014 World Cancer Day Concert. She makes her home in Los Angeles, with her sons, two cats, three chickens, a rambunctious terrier...and a lot of love.  When she is not writing, you might find her tidepooling, sculpting, gardening, browsing through a bookstore or museum, or traveling the world in search of her next inspiration!