Dawn M. Kravagna

I'm an avid reader of fiction and nonfiction, favoring mysteries, history and Christian nonfiction. As a longtime animal lover and whose father retired from a career in horse racing (who's also the funniest person I've ever met), I am a supporter of multiple animal rescue organizations which rescue, not only the usual pets, but also big cats, horses, tapirs and pot-bellied pigs.

My best furry pal is Buddy from Silky Terrier Rescue. Fearful at first, he's become a loving pet and very vocal.

The cartoon photo features Crazy Cal, one of my favorite Cattle Capers (tm) characters. This cartoon first appeared in an Amazon.com Short in 1997, a precursor to the Kindle books. I am also doing business as Pun & Oink (r) Productions as a humorous illustrator.

I've always loved cartooning. In first grade we practiced our handwriting on lined paper which had a large, open space across the top. I began drawing crude cartoons to illustrate my first grade stories. Years later this led to meeting cartoonists, joining Cartoonist Northwest in the Puget Sound area, and participating in multiple book shows and ComiCons.

I'm also a member of the Sound of the Baskervilles (a Sherlock Holmes group) and the Rainy Day Writers. Needless to say, I have no excuse for ever saying I'm bored.

For every Cattle Capers(tm) story sold, I donate a portion to various charities, because I believe in sharing my blessings with others. One particular charity is a medical facility in El Salvador through the organization, Harvesting In Spanish, which offers health services to the poor besides caring for orphans. I am very proud to have been a donor to the building of this facility. I understand what it's like to be sick and scared and need help. Fortunately, my issues were finally resolved when I found some good naturopaths. If you're currently in that situation, don't give up. Keep searching for a doctor who'll take your concerns seriously. I wouldn't be writing or cartooning today if I had listened to scoffers and not been persistent.