Bernadette Rossetti Shustak/BioIn July of 1999, the author spent two weeks in New Jersey with her two children, husband, sisters-in-law, and six nieces and nephew. They had all been brought together by the death of Rossetti-Shustak's father-in-law. During that time she had conversations with her children and their cousins about how their grandfather always made each of them feel as if they were "the favorite" grandchild and "the most loved." Those conversations evolved into this book."To me, "I Love You Through and Through" is about unconditional love and total acceptance. I think it is very important for children to be assured of their parents love and support. You can never say, "I love you" too many times." On another level, the book teaches opposites and rhyming. The illustrations, by Caroline Jayne Church, pull the message and lessons of the book together.It took almost four years from start to finish for "I Love You Through and Through" to come to fruition. A copy of the manuscript was sent to 15 literary agencies in New York. Within 5 months all had responded with a "no thank you," except for Dystel & Godrich Literary Management. After signing with them, three major publishers were interested, but in November 2003, contracts were negotiated and Scholastic Books bought the rights. Almost one year later, announcement of publication and a release date for "I Love You Through and Through" was made.Bernadette Rossetti-Shustak is a former newspaper editor and journalist. She has worked for Housatonic Publications as co-editor of the Pawling News Chronicle, Pawling, NY, and Associate Editor for the weekly newspaper The Kent Good Times Dispatch, Kent, CT, Housatonic Home, and Business Digest magazines.In 1995 she was the recipient of a New York Press Association's first place award for her humorous newspaper columns. She has written articles on numerous subjects for websites, and is a freelance writer and editor. In 2006 Rossetti-Shustak was awarded an Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Award for "I Love You Through and Through".Currently she is an administrator at a private day school. She and her husband, Mike, have two grown children. They live with their three cats, in upstate New York.For more information or to leave a message, visit bernadetterossettishustak.com or e-mail at BShustak@gmail.com