Kelly J. Baptist was born and raised in the great state of Michigan. She’s lived in Alabama, Florida, and Minnesota, but somehow found herself right back in her home state. Kelly won the 2015 We Need Diverse Books short story contest, and her winning entry is included in the middle grade anthology, Flying Lessons and Other Stories. A follow-up to that story, Isaiah Dunn Is My Hero, is set for an August 2020 release by Crown Books for Young Readers. Kelly also won the 2017 Lee and Low New Voices Honor Award for her picture book manuscript, The Electric Slide and Kai, which is scheduled for a September 2020 release. Kelly is a huge Kobe Bryant fan, and incorporates Mamba Mentality in all aspects of her life, especially writing!