Daneen Akers loves the gloaming, the time of day when it’s starting to grow dark and there’s magic in the air. She’s also very fond of books, walks in the woods, songs around a campfire, snuggles with her daughters, and large pots of hot beverages enjoyed with friends. She is the author of the picture book "Dear Mama God", a warm, wonder-filled prayer of gratitude from a child. Combining stunning illustrations with simple yet profound prayers, "Dear Mama God" is the perfect children's book to introduce children (and their adults) to the liberating and heart-expanding world of referring to the divine in feminine form. Daneen is also the author of "Holy Troublemakers & Unconventional Saints", a middle-grades anthology of original portraits and profiles of people of diverse faiths who have worked for more love, justice, and kindness in their corner of the world. Daneen was a part-time resident in the San Francisco Film Society's inaugural FilmHouse program and received the Pacific Pioneer Emerging Filmmaker Grant. She co-produced and directed several documentary films that focused on identity, faith, and belonging, especially as related to LGBTQ members of the conservative denomination she grew up in, including "Seventh-Gay Adventists: A film about faith, identity, and belonging". She's a former English teacher with a graduate degree from San Francisco State University. Daneen lives near Asheville, North Carolina, with her family. Most mornings, she’s woken up by an enthusiastic Carolina Wren outside her window.
