FRANKE TOLLIVER

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Franke Tolliver grew up in San Diego, California, and now enjoys living with his family in the mountains of Tennessee. Franke’s writings include poems, stories, and songs. He plays guitar and banjo for family and friends. He has a deep appreciation of nature and enjoys hiking in the mountains surrounding his home. Franke loves to photograph the beautiful creations around him and share his findings with others. He has many hobbies, like fishing, photography, fossil collecting, reading, and gardening. He’s also a talented artist and inventor and his mischievous humor always shines through in his creative works. This book is just one of many stories that Franke has created to entertain all the children in the family, and we hope to bring many more of his works to publication for future generations to enjoy. ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR: Jeffrey Foster Thomas is a Tennessee based artist who grew up in the hills of West Virginia. From the time he could hold a pencil, he has been drawing and sketching. Jeffrey and his wife Becky (an oil painter) work together out of ‘Storybook Studio’, which they built together with the help of many friends. At the age of 17, Jeffrey was trained in the art of portraiture and began his career as a professional artist. His style is a combination of loose sketching and accurate attention to detail and expression. Thomas says: “You should get an immediate emotional response when you view a work of art, be it a simple sketch or a formal portrait.” He works mainly in pencil, ink and watercolor, and his artwork can be found in collections around the world. Jeffrey enjoys illustrating equestrian themes, as he spent many years training and showing Arabian horses and is also an avid hiker and writer. He teaches beginner drawing courses and welcomes commissions. Samples of his work can be viewed on Instagram at @jftillustrations. ABOUT THE EDITOR: Gianna Annabella Brooks is the granddaughter of Franke Tolliver, and a graduate of the University of Mary Washington, with a Bachelor of Arts in English with a Creative Writing Concentration. It was a rewarding experience to be part of the publishing of this beloved story that was written and read to her by her grandpa when she was just a toddler. This is her first editorial work to be published in collaboration with her grandpa “GP” the author, and Jeffrey Foster Thomas, the illustrator of this book.