As a kid, if Kary wasn’t in her back yard painting backdrops on her sliding glass door, or tap tap tapping at the typewriter, she was most likely directing (bossing around) neighborhood kids in one of her screen plays. After college she landed a job as an art director because she liked the bossy part. But when she started hiring illustrators she realized she was on the wrong side of the desk. After taking a painting class she discovered SCBWI, won a portfolio award at her first LA Conference and was hooked. Five picture books and a Mom’s Choice award later, she’s never looked back. She's currently the Assistant SCBWI Regional Advisor for Western Washington but tries not to be so bossy.
"Laura Ingalls was my invisible friend. Raggedy Ann & Andy, my first character inspirations. And of course there was Judy Blume, easing me through the tweens." -Kary Lee