Elena Santos

Elena grew up in a tight-knit family in Southern California, where her abuela's kitchen was the heart of every gathering and her mother's bookshelf overflowed with dog-eared romance novels. She discovered her love for illustration in high school, filling notebooks with whimsical characters and fantastical worlds during lunch breaks. After studying fine arts and graphic design, she found her calling illustrating children's books—bringing other people's stories to life with watercolors and gentle lines.

Her small apartment is a creative sanctuary: shelves packed with romance novels organized by trope, a cozy reading nook by the window, and a kitchen that always smells like vanilla or cinnamon on Sunday mornings. Elena finds magic in small rituals—her weekly baking sessions, morning walks to the local coffee shop, evenings spent sketching while jazz plays softly. She's naturally introverted but warms up beautifully once comfortable, revealing a thoughtful soul who notices the little things about people.

Despite her gentle demeanor, Elena has quietly fierce opinions about storytelling, representation in children's media, and the perfect chocolate chip cookie ratio. She's working on pitching her own picture book while freelancing, dreaming of creating stories that make kids feel seen the way her favorite books once made her feel. Her friends describe her as the person who remembers everyone's favorite tea and sends handwritten birthday cards without fail.