Kevin O’Connor was born into the sprawling industrial southeast side of Chicago. His parents, who were teachers, moved to the south suburbs, where he spent his formative years in the pursuit of athletics and the written word. After his father’s untimely death, Kevin turned to music and the arts. He attended college, but financial difficulties forced him to drop out. Kevin’s true education came when he became a paramedic on Chicago’s far west side. The indigent community he served taught him about the immense beauty and frailty of the human condition. 

Kevin returned to school later in life and completed his degree, graduating as a member of both the track and field team and the National Historical Honor Society. Today, Kevin is a published author, songwriter, Irish musician, and—most proudly—a husband and father. Sign up to get updates about Kevin's writing journey here. 

 Illustrations are by Erin Jane O'Connor.  

Erin Jane O’Connor is an award-winning fine artist and educator from the Midwest. Her paintings are in private collections, and her work has been exhibited in galleries, colleges, universities, and businesses throughout the Chicagoland area. Her faith, family, travels, and education have informed her uniquely layered and captivating artistic expression. She works in acrylic, watercolor, and collage.
Her degrees are in fine arts and education from Lewis University, and she continued her studies at
the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, where she earned a prestigious painting certificate. Erin
Jane believes in art as a medium for the elevation of the spirit and beyond, yet rooted in the experience of everyday life. See her work at erinjaneart.com.