Formerly I was an elementary school teacher in Melbourne, Australia, and Anchorage, Alaska. My experiences in Australia were amazing, and I have cherished memories of viewing the wildlife in their natural habitat. While in Alaska I developed a series of koala-themed tee shirts designed to raise awareness of global warming, and these were marketed in a local shopping mall. I’ve always wanted to write a story that featured koalas, and my community has provided tremendous inspiration. Had I not retired in Henderson, I could never have imagined The Panterra Chronicles! While I was awaiting word from Austin Macauley Publishers, I utilized modern online illustration tools to update some of my design ideas. My ultimate dream would be to see the mutant droid koala characters as balloons in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.