GAIL M. KEARNS
Project Editor, Production Coordinator

Hometown: Bennington, Vermont; now lives in Santa Barbara, California.

Education: Bachelor of Science, Hunter College, City University of New York.

Past Lives: Motion picture industry, Production Coordinator and Development Executive. Worked with numerous screenwriters and scouted for books that would make good movies.

Passions: Helping authors shape their books; Finding the perfect B&B (where she can read the latest manuscript).

Advice to Authors: Be imaginative; Rewrite, rewrite, rewrite!

PENELOPE C. PAINE
Art Director, Project Manager

Hometown: London, England; now lives in Santa Barbara, California.

Education: Bachelor of Arts, University of London.

Past Lives: Author and marketer of award-winning children's books; National trainer for educational initiatives.

Passions: Imparting her wisdom; Sipping a perfect cup of tea.

Advice to Authors: Identify the benefits you hope to achieve in writing your book; Target your market.

Website: http://pennypaine.com

LUCY LEVENSON
Marketeer, Online & Off

Hometown: Cambridge, Massachusetts; now lives in Kennebunk, Maine.

Education: Bachelor of Arts (acting and creative writing), Bradford College.

Past Lives: Actress; Co-Founded Boston Film Festival; Founding Partner, Pacific Imaging Center.

Passions: My daughters, chocolate and traveling. Support for the arts and children through my work on the boards of several nonprofits.

Advice to Authors: Believe.

NANCY SAYLES
Publicist

Hometown: Milwaukee, Illinois; now lives in Woodland Hills, California.

Education: BA in Journalism from California State University, Northridge.

Past Lives: Always been a PR Lady. First job in PR was in college promotion department for Herb Alpert's A & M Records, and promoting unknowns like The Carpenters and Carole King.

Passions: Getting national publicity for previously unknown authors, raising a teenage boy (and living to tell about it), and searching the world for the perfect sushi (not necessarily in that order).

Advice to Authors: Produce the very best product you can through writing, editing, interior and cover design, and when it's finally a book, tell everyone you know. Then tell everyone you don't know.

PERI POLONI-GABRIEL
Book & Cover Designer

Hometown: Costa Mesa, California; now lives in Naperville, Illinois.

Education: Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree Visual Communication Design, California State University, Long Beach.

Past Lives: Advertising art director, event designer, Mary Kay beauty consultant, theatrical performer/dancer.

Passions: Translating an idea into a tangible visual expression; traveling the globe; finding the perfect glass of red wine.

Advice to Authors: Covers sell, do it right the first time, you won't regret it.

Website: http://www.knockoutbooks.com

KATE MCMILLAN
Web Designer & Programmer

Hometown: Fairfield, Connecticut; now lives in San Francisco, California.

Education: BA in Behavioral & Social Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park.

Past Lives: Punk Rocker; European Tour Guide; Member of an Appalachian Search & Rescue Team.

Passions: Great design and user experiences; Beautiful locations and gorgeous food.

Advice to Authors: Hire people whose skills you admire, then let them get on with it. Look for people who will aim for the remarkable, who will not settle for the ordinary.

Website: http://outboxonline.com