K. M. (Kat) Allen grew up with a love for art, writing, and the outdoors in the small, northern town of Stephen, Minnesota. She received a B.F.A. from Savannah College of Art & Design and studied fine art in Florence, Italy. A career in marketing and design led Kat to Chicago, and later Milwaukee, before she returned to a rural setting to raise her family and continue working as an artist, author, and illustrator. Kat also enjoys rock collecting, photography, and visiting northeastern Minnesota with all of the outdoor activities that it has to offer. Kat currently lives with her husband and their three children in the wide-open spaces of North Dakota.