Christine M. Ricci-McNamee is an honors graduate of Salem State College in Salem, Massachusetts where she earned her B.A. in English/Written Communications. She presently resides in East Boston, Mass, in her childhood home with her husband Joseph and cocker spaniel Logan. Christine was the winner of the (1986-1990) Presidential Arts Scholarship in Creative Writing at Salem State. She also was a (1986) American Poetry Association Poet of Merit, as well as the (1986) winner of the Boston Public Library Scholar's Award. Her poetry has appeared in several anthologies such as the (1987) American Collegiate Poets, the (1987 & 1989) editions of the American Poetry Association Anthology, the (1989) American Anthology of Contemporary Poetry and most recently in "A Time To Be Free" (2000), a poetry anthology published by Quill Books. Flames of Feeling is her first book which is a collection of poems for children and young adults on various themes written when the author was between the ages of nine and nineteen. Also included are two short stories for children. ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR Denise L. Augusta-Torres, a free-lance artist, is a close friend of the author who lives in Southern New Hampshire with her husband Roberto, two children Kaitlin and Nathan, two dogs and three cats.