More About Kizzi

Kizzi has been an animal scientist, a fish researcher, a crossfit instructor, an olympic-style weightlifting coach, a circus veterinary technician, a college science instructor, a wrestling coach, and a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu competitor. She enjoys many things and can’t resist trying something new, but her true passion has always been writing. 

Kizzi earned her Master of Science degree in Animal Science from the University of Missouri – Columbia. She took several writing courses while in college, including creative writing classes, but it wasn’t until she joined the circus that she decided she wanted a career as an author.

In 2014, while working as a veterinary technician for the circus, she decided to get serious about writing books for children. She joined the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators (SCBWI), and for the next few years worked on her craft through workshops, critique groups, conferences, and classes. After two years with the circus, Kizzi returned to her hometown, Cabool, Missouri, where she worked for Drury University as a Biology, Genetics, and Human Nutrition instructor and college advisor. 

In 2018, she received the MO/KS SCBWI Clare Vanderpool Work of Promise award for her unpublished YA novel. Then in 2019, she won the MO/KS SCBWI Illustrator Mentorship with Stephen Gilpin. She participated in the MO/KS Critique Across Missouri event several times and hosted groups twice. Through this event she met her future business partner Carrie Rodell. 

In 2022, Kizzi and Carrie started Elemental Ink Publishing LLC. Carrie is a former teacher and brings two decades of experience in the educational publishing field as an editor, author, and content creator. Kizzi and Carrie publish children’s books under their imprint, Learning Spark Educational Publishing. 

To see Kizzi’s books visit the Books page.

To send her an email about books, author visits, or anything else writing related visit the Contact Me page.