Ryan Cowan grew up in a small town called Middleport, Ohio. He currently lives in Hawthorne, CA. As a teacher with almost 20 years of experience, Ryan has taught all grades from K-6th. He currently works as an assistant principal in Los Angeles. Mr. Moonbeam and the Halloween Crystal is his first children's book. Praised by Kirkus Reviews, Mr. Moonbeam and the Halloween Crystal has also won many awards: Moonbeam Children's Book Award for Pre-Teen Fiction, eBook (Bronze) 2019 2019 Indie Diamond Book Awards Semifinalist for Middle Grade, Young Adult, New Adult Readers' Favorite Book Award for Holiday Fiction (Bronze Medal Winner) 2020 Purple Dragonfly Book Award Winner Holiday Fiction (Second Place) 2021 Purple Dragonfly Book Award Winner Chapter Books (Honorable Mention) 2021 Purple Dragonfly Book Award Winner Mystery (Honorable Mention) 2021 Purple Dragonfly Book Award Winner Middle Grade (Honorable Mention) 2021 Purple Dragonfly Book Award Winner New Author (Honorable Mention) 2021 Ryan has degrees and/or credentials in education from the following universities: Marshall University (BFA Music Theory), UCLA (M.Ed. Urban Education), California State University Los Angeles (Multiple Subject Teaching Credential), and California State University Dominguez Hills (Administrative Services Credential).