SUSAN JOHNSTON TAYLOR writes children's books that spread kindness and curiosity. She's also a classically trained soprano and now the Writing Barn’s Client Success Manager. Her debut picture book, Animals in Surprising Shades: Poems About Earth’s Colorful Creatures (Gnome Road Publishing, 2023), won the SCBWI Crystal Kite Award. Her next picture book, If Pets Wrote Poems (Gnome Road, March 2026) explores the lives and writing styles of famous (and not so famous) poets through the eyes of their animal friends in this kid-friendly poetry collection. Illustrated with whimsical creative flair by Sandie Sonke.   

 

Outside of writing, Susan is a professional singer/actor who's passionate about storytelling on the page and the stage. She lives in Austin, Texas with her husband and their rescue dog Sadie.