Born in California and raised in Virginia, Beth W. Roberts graduated from Davidson College and received an MA in English from the University of Richmond. Having worked as an English teacher and literacy tutor for over two decades, she now devotes herself to writing, parenting, and volunteering at the local schools. She has published three children's books, The Christmas Spider (2015), Albert (2017), and most recently, Be a Smile Maker (2020). The Christmas Spider weaves the tale of the nativity story from the perspective of an unlikely arachnid hero. Albert, the story of a cookie-bestowing mouse with included family recipes, won 1st places in the 2019 Royal Dragonfly Awards for both children's book illustrations and for children's activity books. In Roberts' newest work, Be A Smile Maker, she partners with jeweler and illustrator Kate Furman to bring smiles to the world. Mrs. Roberts, who now lives in the mountains of North Carolina with her husband and three children, is passionate about supporting her local community, the importance of early literacy, the wonders of the Shakespeare stage, snow days, swimming, soccer, Christmas movies, baking cakes and cookies, and family time.Kate Furman, who surrounds herself with family whenever possible, grew up in Greenville, South Carolina, and is an illustrator, artist, jeweler, instructor, and doer of anything creative.