Heidi Elisabet Yolen Stemple grew up in Hatfield, Massachusetts, and after 18 years of living elsewhere, she has returned. She has also returned to the family business—writing children’s books—after working as a probation/parole officer and a private investigator.

Heidi is Jane Yolen’s daughter and sometimes writing partner. They’ve co-authored several books together, including their History Mystery series and Not All Princesses Dress in Pink.

They also worked together on the nonfiction middle-grade Bad Girls: Sirens, Jezebels, Murderers, Thieves, and Other Female Villains and their most recent picture book, You Nest Here with Me illustrated by Melissa Sweet. Heidi 'starred' in her mother's 1988 Caldecott-winning book, Owl Moon.

Jane Yolen is the author of more than 300 books, including children's classics such as Owl Moon and The Devi's Arithmetic, and adult novels such as Sister Light, Sister Dark. Her books and stories have won the Nebula Award, the Caldecott Medal, the National Jewish Book Award, and many other awards and accolades. She divides her time between Massachusetts and St. Andrews, Scotland.