Nancy Kelly Allen's route to award-winning writing has more twists and turns than a winding mountain road. She worked as a social worker and elementary school teacher. When Nancy changed career paths to become a school librarian, the route led her straight to the world of writing. She has penned more than fifty children's books, including the picture book, Cowboy Jesse. She has two master's degrees, Education and Library Science. Nancy and her husband, Larry, live in the log house in which she grew up, and they share their home with two canine writing assistants, Jazi and Roxi.