Core Team

Margaret Chang, a former children’s librarian, holds an MA in Children’s Literature and for 17 years taught college courses in children’s literature. With her Chinese-born husband, she has published four children’s books set in China, and an introduction to the Chinese language. A longtime reviewer for School Library Journal, she served on two American Library Association award committees: the 2005 Caldecott and the 2007 Batchelder. Maggie grew up on the West Coast, and has recently moved to Bainbridge Island from Massachusetts, where she lived for many years. She has served on the Board of Directors for the United States Board on Books for Young People, the US branch of a worldwide organization that promotes peace and international understanding through children’s books, and is now a Washington State Ambassador for USBBY. Her most recent book is Celia’s Robot.

Barbara Clarke joined the core team of Field’s End after sampling all of the organization’s products: classes, roundtables, and the annual conference. Barbara works as a grant writer and has written extensively for corporate clients, trade magazines, and newspapers on a variety of topics. Her memoir, Getting to Home: Sojourn in a Perfect House, was published in 2009. “How Many Writing Books Does It Take to Write a Novel, Memoir, Nonfiction or Something Besides an Annual Holiday Letter?” appeared in the 2010 debut issue of Line Zero, a literary arts magazine. Barbara calls Bainbridge Island home after sojourns in more than a few states. www.barbaraclarke.net

Suzan grew up on Bainbridge Island. She graduated from the University of Washington with a BA in Business Education and a minor in Journalism. She retired in 2009 from UW’s Applied Physics Laboratory where Suzan worked as a financial manager and administrator for the Polar Science Center. Her nonfiction essays have been published in The Seattle Times and magazines such as Still Crazy, Fresh Boiled Peanuts, and Stories with Grace. In 2011 Suzan and her aunt, Betty Johnson, published Women of Strength, an oral history about growing up in North Dakota, World War II, and raising a family on Bainbridge. 

Lin Kamer-Walker graduated with a BA in Fine Art and a concentration in graphic design from Indiana University. She worked for an advertising agency before establishing a freelance graphic design studio including print account management. A self-motivator in several arts fields, Lin has exhibited paintings, written an arts Q&A newspaper column, and recently completed her first novel.

After attending writing courses at the University of California at Los Angeles and completing the Producer's program at the Hollywood Film Institute, Sherill spent several years writing screenplays and short fiction. She is a current member of the Pacific Northwest Writers Association and Sisters in Crime. Sherill spends the bulk of her time at the Northern tip of the Kitsap peninsula where she is tethered to her desk, hard at work on a new mystery series. She is represented by the Marsal Lyon Literary Agency.

Margaret Nevinski writes for children and teens. She's published children’s books for the school market, and most recently a young adult story in Hunger Mountain. Margaret also teaches writing and creativity workshops for young authors and adults. In 2008 she received her MFA in writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts, and currently she’s working on a novel for middle-grade readers. Margaret and her husband live on Bainbridge Island. When she’s not writing, teaching, reading, or volunteering for Field’s End, Margaret is likely to be walking or biking on Bainbridge or in Seattle, with numerous stops for coffee. www.margaretnevinski.com

Nancy is coordinator for the Writers’ Conference held annually in April. She moved to Bainbridge Island from San Francisco in 2006 after a twenty-plus year career in corporate and investment banking. Released from the shackles of a finance career requiring frequent travel and endless working hours, she now explores Seattle and environs mostly on foot and by boat. Nancy attends lectures on art, music and literature and co-facilitates The Salon, a monthly discussion on topical issues impacting local citizens. She’s an aspiring writer and discovered the Field’s End community of writers through its class offerings.

George began his professional work with children in 1973. After experience as a children's librarian and professional storyteller, his first children's book, Lizard's Song, was accepted by Greenwillow in 1979. Since then he has had 38 books published including 27 picture books (among them Dance Away, Climbing Kansas Mountains, White Is for Blueberry, The Secret Chicken Club, and Busy in the Garden). Tippy-Toe Chick, Go! was selected as a Charlotte Zolotow Award Honor Book for picture book writing in 2003. 2008 brought both the Washington State Book Award and the Worzalla/Burr Award for Rabbit's Gift, and the "Life time Achievement Award" from PNWA. He has also published essays on various aspects of children's literature, and continues to work with children around the world on their own creative writing. Conferences, workshops, and author visits have taken him to schools from the Arctic Circle to Jakarta, and Kuwait to Japan. www.georgeshannon.org

Kristy Webster is a graduate of the Rainier Writing Workshop Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing program. Prior to graduate school, she attended the Evergreen State College where she majored in creative writing and feminist studies. Her short fiction has been published in two anthologies as well as several online journals. Aside from her academic studies she completed a publishing internship with Copper Canyon Press and interned at the Housing Resources Board writing web copy and interviewing clients. Kristy works at Eagle Harbor Book Company as a bookseller and manager of the used book Annex.