Harbor Island Books LLC
Copyright 2014
design by Julie Schoening
Helen Furbush lives and works in Maryland, but spends as much time as she can at the family cabin on the Sound by Appletree Cove Point in Kingston. It’s her all-time favorite place to be. She has four really cool kids who are now all grown up. Three of the four have made Seattle their home.
Lying Awake is Helen's first published boo. She has enjoyed giving over a hundred educational presentations to both children and adults about the book and the marine life in the story. She’s also had several children's educational articles published in the KidsPost of The Washington Post.
Helen has been on active duty with the Navy for the past few years. Her most recent assignment was at the Pentagon where she worked for the Deputy Under Secretary of the Navy as the Acting Senior Director of Intelligence. She expects to be working next as a civilian at the National Security Agency where she will help the military access and utilize the classified government cloud computing environment. In addition to her job with the government, she is a Captain in the Navy Reserves. In 2011, she served with the Army for a year in Iraq. Her current assignment is the Commanding Officer of an information warfare unit in San Antonio, TX. She has a BA (UW, Seattle) and MA (George Washington University, DC) in Russian and East European Studies.
Christine Hunt McCroskey enjoys working with children and currently teaches reading in Edmonds, Washington where she and her husband, Rich, have lived for nearly 30 years. Her three passions: family, watercolor art, and cruising Pacific Northwest waters are a perfect fit in Lying Awake. Her realistic watercolors portray the joy of taking time to enjoy people closest to you, in the unspoiled beauty of nature and were inspired by magical times experienced boating with her family and friends. Lying Awake is her first illustrated book.
My educational training was at Seattle Pacific University and the University of Washington, where I graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Education degree. For the past 20 years I have specialized in watercolor painting and participated in various local art workshops. Early in my art pursuit, Llubs Gallery in Edmonds featured me in a one-woman art show. My paintings have been featured in the Edmonds Arts Festival, Edmonds in Bloom and the Lynnwood Library Gallery. I compiled and illustrated two books featuring my mother's poems and prayers and have recently illustrated 'Lying Awake'. I am a member of SCBWI, Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators.
Deep love of family, friends and nature is reflected in my work. Summers spent aboard our boat, Wish Giver, give me a quiet place for inspiration. Watercolor is the perfect medium to depict my favorite NW hideaways. I like to work from sketches and photographs. My paintings are often inspired by life's meaningful moments
'Lying Awake' is the beginning of my dream to illustrate children's books. I hope reading it will inspire children and adults to believe enough in their own dreams to make them happen.
Harbor Island Books LLC
Copyright 2014
design by Julie Schoening