At Deana Bean Books, we are proud to work with a talented team of authors, illustrators, editors, and creative minds who bring our stories to life. Each member of our team is passionate about creating fun, imaginative, and meaningful stories that inspire young readers.
Author / Founder
Author
Mindy
Author
Tandi is a holistic children’s author, specializing in using animal symbolism and nature. She resides in a small country town in Tennessee south of Knoxville and loves to relax on her back porch, watching her koi and playing with her Aussie-doodle, Frankincense. Tandi is a Kindergarten teacher at a private school and when she is not teaching, she enjoys horseback lessons, of sorts, with her two girls and life lessons taught spontaneously during play. Her girls are 9 and 5, bursting with energy. In her spare time, Tandi takes quiet moments to study God’s word and continues writing her children’s books. She prays continually that anyone reading her books enjoys the relationships between nature and self; realizing one’s potential and God’s hand in their purpose.
Author / Illustrator
Quality Assurance Analyst / Editor
Laura studied English Literature at Wright State University and went on to receive her Master's in Education from Antioch University MacGregor. She is a Fraud Investigator who enjoys proofreading and editing on the side. When she’s not fighting crime or editing, she can be found reading, talking about history and music or tending to her growing collection of plants and herbs. Laura currently lives in Virginia with her husband and 2 dogs.
Designer
Samantha graduated from The University of Arizona. She went on to pursue her graphic design career in Columbus, Ohio. Serving as the Marketing Chair for the Tour de Cause Board of Directors. She moved back to the desert to be with family and friends where she frolics in the desert with her dachshund, Leia and enjoys fictional vampires, witches, werewolves, and other creatures and fauna of the macabre. She continues to work special contracts and projects with old colleagues, good friends, and The Creative Circle Agency.
Translator
Angie studied Social Communication and Business Administration at Pontificia Universidad Javeriana of Bogotá, Colombia. Passionate about advertising and marketing, she recently began working in account management; managing 5 influencers for their brand partnerships. She was born in Bogotá, where she still lives with her parents, siblings and her husky Alaska. She loves to travel and learn about new cultures, especially over a glass of wine.
Illustrator
Brad has been drawing ever since he can remember and started tattooing the day he turned 18. He has owned The Asylum Tattoos & Fine Art, located in Southern West Virginia, for almost a decade. He feels very fortunate to do what he loves for a living. He enjoys spending time with his family, especially his young son who is also his inspiration. It was actually hearing his wife read to his son that opened his eyes and showed him how children’s books would be great way to teach children about reptiles, one of his many other passions.
Illustrator
Carmalitta holds a degree in Art Education from East Tennessee State University. She continued to study at Arrowmont school in Gatlinburg, Tennessee and other universities in Virginia and Georgia. She specializes in two and three dimensional art techniques including watercolor, collage and wired jewelry. She now resides near Knoxville, Tennessee with her husband, two massive dogs and her attention seeking kitty cat, Spirit.
Illustrator
Darlee also known as Happylee, is a multi-disciplinary Filipino creative, based in the Philippines. She is an art extraordinaire who is proficient in digital illustrations, painting, calligraphy, graphic design, and traditional art. She believes that art is an extension of herself and soul. She continuously strives to learn new things and endeavors to keep improving her works. By creating magical and whimsical inspired pieces, she creates happiness for herself and hopes to impart this happiness to the viewer as well. Her books are not just artwork to her and they are not just an extension of her imagination; they are a mirror of her full heart. She is an old soul and a family oriented person. When she is not creating art she enjoys a good cup of coffee, books, good movies, tv shows, anime and singing.
Illustrator
Illustrator
Illustrator
Sandaru is a professional illustrator from Sri Lanka with over five years of experience in the field. He has illustrated numerous storybooks and specializes in creating artwork in a variety of styles. His passion for illustration began during his school years, and after completing his high school education, he pursued a year of graphic design studies to refine his skills.
Beyond illustration, Sandaru has a love for music and enjoys singing as a hobby. He also finds joy in painting, drawing, and traveling. At home, he shares his life with his beloved pet dog, Timmy. To showcase his artistic journey, Sandaru maintains an active presence on Facebook and Instagram, where he shares his latest works and creative projects.
Illustrator
Georgia is the founder of GEORGI∆ ELECTR∆ sacred arts studio, and ELECTR∆ Gallery in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She has been painting and drawing her whole life. Curiosity and her love of making pictures led her to study with brilliant artists and travel the world in search of the secrets of creativity. She loves making healing and inspiring artwork for people's homes, and teaching all kinds of people how to connect with their own creativity through online and in-person art workshops.
Illustrator
As a young boy at around age 5, I developed a real passion for art. Drawing and painting were my real desires and I began to pursue a lifelong journey into the world of disappearing into a painting and being anywhere I wanted to be. I never used my passion professionally simply because It wasn’t about money for me, but the joy and pleasure that people seemed to get from observing my creations. I did not limit myself to just landscapes or portraits, but also tried to adventure into realism on any object.
Illustrator
Author
Christina Minshall grew up in a large, loving family where storytelling and laughter were a part of everyday life. Naturally, this passion for stories grew with her, leading her to develop a deep love for storytelling of her own. With years of experience working in daycare and as a nanny, she delighted in bringing books to life for children, making every story an adventure.
She is happily married to her high school sweetheart, and together they have two beautiful daughters. Christina hopes that one day her girls will share her love for storytelling just as much as she does. Through her writing, she aims to bring joy and laughter to children and families, creating stories that spark imagination and warm the heart.