Joanne is the award-winning illustrator of such books as Beautiful, Brave, Love and Hilde Cracks the Case series, Another Day as Emily and The Dancing Pancake by Eileen Spinelli and Peace, Baby! by Linda Ashman. She lives in Amsterdam with her family.

Now we are done with all the formality, let's get to the good stuff. I was born in Malaysia but grew up in Los Angeles. I've had all kinds of adventures, good, bad and the crazy and it had a big influence in my art since I was a very young kid. I love traveling and going to new places. Luckily I have a family who loves it just as much as I do. I am terrible at cooking but I love to eat and luckily my husband is a great cook. Photography, hiking in the mountains and being in nature are my favorite things to do. .

My favorite mediums are pen and pencil. I don't like using sketch books because it makes me feel confined to a space. Which also means, my house is full of loose sketches everywhere. I mean everywhere. My children are my greatest pride . Usually I don't talk this much because I'm an introvert but I think it's okay to share just a little bit of myself with the moms, dads and kids out there.

Patrice Karst is the author of the bestselling, contemporary classic children's ( and adults'!) book The Invisible String, which has sold over 1,000,000 copies. It is the story of the String (made out of love) that connects us all.

In addition to being shared by all ages as a gift for many of life's milestone moments, it is also being used by schools, psychologists, hospices, grief groups, the military, hospitals, the prison system and multiple organizations worldwide for any kind of loss or separation issues, and gives children a tangible understanding of LOVE. A leading title for healing, comfort, bereavement and counseling of children and their families since its original publication in 2000, The Invisible String continues to soar because of its timeless message.

Available now is the paperback version of the book published by Little Brown Books for Young Readers (Hachette Book Group), featuring all-new illustrations by Joanne Lew-Vriethoff. In addition, Little Brown is releasing four more sequels in the Invisible String franchise: The Invisible Leash: A Story Celebrating Love After the Loss of a Pet ; The Invisible Web ; a therapeutic activity book co-written with Dana Wyss, Ph.D., The Invisible String Workbook: Creative Activities to Comfort, Calm and Connect and You are Never Alone: An Invisible String Lullabye.

Patrice and her books have been widely featured in print and broadcast media and she is a well-loved public speaker. Her work touches children and adults alike. Love and the needs of the heart are something Patrice understands well. She has made a literary career out of addressing in warm and humorous prose the issues that tickle or trouble our souls, both spiritually and practically. Patrice's books are the perfect fit for the time in which we live, offering comfort, support and wisdom in her down-to-earth way.

All of Patrice's books carry the universal theme of LOVE.

Born in London, England, she moved to the United States as a child, where she spent many a night pondering the meaning of life under the canopy of stars, and she has been on a fascinating creative and spiritual journey ever since. A "seeker" and spiritual student since childhood, her quest culminated in the writing of her first bestselling book. Hers is a miraculous story: On the morning of November 11th, 1995, she was woken from a dream and an inner voice "told her" to write her first book. She did it in an hour and signed a publishing deal for God Made Easy three weeks later.

The single mother of Elijah (now grown and living nearby), Patrice lives and writes near the beach in Ventura, California, where she is currently editing her memoir (and what a wild ride it has been!), and still gazing up in wonder at starry nights.

Patrice loves to hear from her readers! To find out more or to contact Patrice, go to www.patricekarst.com. If you reach out--she promises to reach back!