Todd Dillard began writing for children as a bookseller in Houston, Texas. He moved to New York to study at Sarah Lawrence College, where he received an MFA in Poetry, and began publishing his work in numerous journals, including "Best New Poets," "Pebble Lake Review," and "NANO Fiction." Jeanne Duval Press published his first chapbook of poetry in 2011, titled "The Drowned Hymns," and in 2012 he was awarded the runner-up prize for his contemporary novel "Periwinkle" by the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. That same year, he launched a campaign on www.kickstarter.com to fund an illustrator for a collection of Shel Silverstein-inspired poems. The campaign achieved its funding goal in a matter of days, and Todd quickly began working with fellow Sarah Lawrence alum Paul Tunis on the collection. "Where the Windwalk Begins" is the first publication to come from Todd and Paul's collaboration, and will be followed by three additional books: "The Loud and Empty House," "All the Butts," and "The Hungry Shoe." For sample poems, lesson plans, and contact information, please visit Todd at his website www.todddillard.com!