Ashley Spires, Author/Illustrator

Ashley Spires grew up in a little town on the coast of B.C. called Tsawwassen with two parents, an older sister, eight cats, a dog and the occasional newt.

For a while she thought that animation was her future, but then photography caught her eye, which led her to bookmaking courses. These classes opened her eyes to the world of illustration and she never looked back. Delighted that there was, in fact, a career that allowed her to remain in her pajamas, hang out with her cats and be productive at the same time, illustration is the perfect job for her.

Despite the quizzical looks and baffled expressions of loved ones, 2009 saw Ashley make the big move from the coast to the prairies, where she now resides in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Life on the prairies will allow her to indulge in her imagination and continue anthropomorphizing her cats for her own creative endeavors.

Like Binky, Ashley does not take kindly to insects, though she rarely eats them. She has ingested a number of bugs accidentally during her frequent jogs and bike rides, but trust me, she didn’t enjoy it.