Amanda Thomsen

Big, loud and fun- Amanda Thomsen has been a horticulture professional for 20 years and wants to tell you ALLLL about it. Her blog, Kiss My Aster (at kissmyaster.com), has alienated/enraptured dozens for 14 years.

Her first book, Kiss My Aster, is a choose-your-own-adventure type, bizarrely illustrated book of home landscaping aimed at Millennials and other fun people looking to break the suburban mold.

Her second book, Backyard Adventure, is a trickster nod to getting kids outside for their own wellbeing (and their parents' too).

She lives in the Chicago suburbs with her family, Husky, Paug (dachshund/pug) and evil cat.