In the late 1970s to early 1980s he drew fantasy ink pictures for the Dungeons & Dragons Basic and Expert game rulebooks. He first gained attention for his 1980s comic book series Elementals published by Comico, which he both wrote and drew. However, for reasons unknown, the series had trouble maintaining an original schedule, and Willingham's position in the industry remained spotty for many years. He contributed stories to Green Lantern and started his own independent, black-and-white comics series Coventry which lasted only 3 issues. He also produced the pornographic series Ironwood for Eros Comix. In the late 1990s Willingham reestablished himself as a prolific writer. He produced the 13-issue Pantheon for Lone Star Press and wrote a pair of short novels about the modern adventures of the hero Beowulf, published by the writer's collective, Clockwork Storybook, of which Willingham was a founding member. In the early 2000s he began writing extensively for DC Comics, including the limited series Proposition Player, a pair of limited series about the Greek witch Thessaly from The Sandman, and most notably the popular series Fables

I'm the author of YA, graphic novels and novels for adults who still feel young, at least most of the time. Recent works include GILT, a graphic novel about time-traveling women of a certain age; Cadaver & Queen, a YA Feminist Frankenstein meets Grey's Anatomy tale, and Mystik U from DC Comics, which features Zatanna and other magical characters in their first year at college. I also co-host a Sandman podcast, The Endless, with Lani Diane Rich. My first novel, Till the Fat Lady Sings, is also about college and romance and eating disorders. (It was my thesis at Columbia University's MFA Program, where I felt like an outlier for liking comic books and romance as much as literature.) I was an editor at Vertigo, the mature/dark fantasy branch of DC Comics, before going freelance. (I've also written two hormonal werewolf books as Alisa Sheckley.) I live near the Vanderbilt Estate in Hyde Park, NY, with two dogs and a frightening number of books. aka Alisa Sheckley

Todd Mitchell is the author of several award-winning middle grade and YA novels including The Last Panther (Penguin Random House), The Traitor King (Scholastic), The Secret to Lying (Candlewick), and Backwards (Candlewick). He has two new books coming out in fall 2021—one for writers, artists, and creators titled Breakthrough: How to Overcome Doubt, Fear, and Resistance so that You Can Be Your Ultimate Creative Self, and a middle grade novel that's recently been optioned for film/TV development titled The Namer of Spirits. He lives in Fort Collins, Colorado, where he kayaks, mountain bikes, and teaches creative writing at Colorado State University. He loves speaking with young readers and writers. You can visit him (and learn about his squirrel obsession) at www.ToddMitchellBooks.com About THE NAMER OF SPIRITS: “A dangerous town carved out of unforgiving forest, a young girl who can name spirits and tame monsters, a race against time to save the natural world: The Namer of Spirits is what readers want and the world needs.” —New York Times bestselling author Eliot Schrefer About THE LAST PANTHER (winner of the Colorado Book Award, the Green Prize for Sustainable Literature, and a Green Earth Honor Book Award): "BRILLIANT! A boldly original, profoundly wise, deeply moving book. It’s a rare gift to any reader, as well as to our planet." —T. A. Barron, author of the Merlin Saga "A powerful tale." —KIRKUS "Difficult to put down. An important addition on a timely subject." —SLJ About THE SECRET TO LYING (winner of the Colorado Book Award, for ages 14 & up): "Engrossing and entertaining... a great read." —PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY About BACKWARDS (winner of the CAL Award, for ages 13 & up): “[A] suspenseful paranormal novel. …at once thought-provoking and satisfying.” —School Library Journal About THE TRAITOR KING (Scholastic Press, for ages 8 & up): "Humor, menace, and mystery suffuse this fast-paced tale... This well-written tale is a must for most fantasy readers." —School Library Journal Other projects: I co-wrote a graphic novel that came out with Vertigo Comics (part of D.C.), called A FLIGHT OF ANGELS (selected as a YALSA Top Ten Pick for Great Graphic Novels for Teens). BROKEN SAVIORS, an alien invasion graphic novel series for ages 13 and up. You can read the first few issues of BROKEN SAVIORS on my website for free. Or find it in full HD on ComiXology! http://www.toddmitchellbooks.com

I live in North Carolina, where time moves more slowly than it did in New York. That means my day can include writing, working with new writers, yoga, and hanging OUT with my sweet teacher, Mother Nature. I have two grown children, both teachers. They are, deliciously and, to me always surprisingly, among my two best friends on the planet. I'm a teacher as well as an author, serving proudly on the faculty at Vermont College of Fine Arts in the MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults Program, and at Mainely Writing, an intensive week-long writing retreat on the coast of you know which beautiful New England state. What's new? A collaborative graphic novel, A FLIGHT OF ANGELS, comes out from Vertigo/DC Comics in November!