Sheila Kilpatrick

Sheila Kilpatrick is an award-winning children's book author, artist, and animal lover, based in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and the creator of the children's picture book, Anastasia’s Rain - featuring Anastasia Pickering.

Kilpatrick holds an associate’s degree in photography and graphic design from Tidewater Community College in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and a Bachelor of Science in Art Education from East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina. Her background in art education is woven into every page of her work, making her books as visually rich as they are emotionally meaningful.

Anastasia's Rain, her debut children's picture book, published by Morgan James Publishing, was inspired by two very special people — her niece and nephew — who’s magical, wonder-filled perspectives helped Kilpatrick see healing colors in the quiet of the rain during one of the most challenging seasons of her own life. A breast cancer survivor, Kilpatrick faced her own storms with the support of loyal friends and family. She believes that perplexing and difficult situations can present us with colorful answers — if we are still enough to hear them. Through the character of Patience, the tiny fairy who rides on Anastasia's ponytail, Kilpatrick gives young readers a gentle, imaginative way to connect with their own intuition and discover the power of patience, emotional regulation, and positive thinking.

Written to be a teaching tool in values and life lessons, Anastasia's Rain has been recognized by Mom's Choice Awards, The Dove Foundation, and Writer's Digest — three of the most respected names in family-friendly and children's literature. Accompanying lesson plans for grades 1, 2, and 3 are available on Teachers Pay Teachers, making the book a trusted resource for classroom educators and homeschool families alike.

When she is not writing, you will find Sheila in Virginia Beach grooming horses, cooking, or spending time with her canine companions — living proof that a life well-loved is the greatest story of all.