Dana Sutton is a tutor, coach, and parent with decades of experience working with children and young adults. While raising her children, she spent evenings tutoring students from primary through to first and second year post-secondary, as well as coaching and instructing various athletics. Dana currently owns her own business providing consulting, payroll and accounting services for businesses in the Okanagan. A keen athlete while growing up, Dana enjoyed fastball, ringette, volleyball, hockey, martial arts and skiing (both in water and downhill). These days, when she isn’t busy with work or grandchildren, Dana can be found reading a book or riding her motorcycle (an Indian Scout) throughout the Okanagan, where she lives with her husband, Ray and their two Old English Sheepdogs, Guinness and Misty. Guinness, Misty and Bailey (Misty's predecessor) can be found as background characters in many of her stories.

"When I was raising my children I always focused on being open with them.  I don't believe there are any "off-limit subjects". If my children were asking about something, or had been exposed to something, then I worked hard to help them understand using age-appropriate language; even when the topic was uncomfortable for me.

When I started writing children's books, and especially with the topic in Maddie Finds Her Place, I really focused on that strategy.  My experience is that, if the language is framed well, then children at each age level receive exactly what they need and are capable of understanding the conversation."   ​-  Dana Sutton