Diana Tuorto

Diana Tuorto is a New York-based children's author who has been writing fiction, poetry, and creative non-fiction since the age of ten.

Most of her children's books are written from the first person point of view of different horses.

A graduate of the University of Pittsburgh with a degree in English Writing and History, Diana is also an active volunteer with various non-profit organizations.

In November 2023, Diana released Ms. Alberta: Feline Barn Manager, her second picture book and sixth children's book. Ms. Alberta is a Story Monsters Approved! winner in the Picture Book category.

In October 2020, Diana released her fifth children's book and first picture book (for ages 4-7+), How Angel Horses Become Unicorns. The book was awarded Runner-up in the Children's Inspirational and Children's Healing Horses categories at the 2021 EQUUS Film and Arts Fest and was a finalist in the Children's Fiction Illustrated category in the 2022 Independent Author Network Book of the Year. How Angel Horses Become Unicorns won an Honorable Mention in the Purple Dragonfly Award Picture Books 5 & Younger + Animals/Pets categories and is also a Story Monsters Approved! winner in the Picture Book category.

In November 2010, Diana released her fourth children's book and first easy reader (for ages 5-8+), Spirit of the Saluda River. It is based on the true story of Spirit, a blind 20+ year-old Shetland pony rescued from an island in South Carolina's Saluda River. The book was awarded Runner-up in the Children's Western category at the 2021 EQUUS Film and Arts Fest. Spirit of the Saluda River won an Honorable Mention in the Purple Dragonfly Award Early Readers category and is also a Story Monsters Approved! winner in the Early Reader Fiction Book category.

In March 2009, Diana re-released My Desert Sun, her first middle grade children's novel. It is the story of Cayuse, a young, free-spirited mustang who is captured and determined to regain his freedom, no matter what the cost. My Desert Sun was awarded Runner-up in the Wild Horse Stories category at the 2021 EQUUS Film and Arts Fest. The book won an Honorable Mention in the Purple Dragonfly Award Middle Grade Fiction category and is also a Story Monsters Approved! winner in the Middle Grade Fiction Book category.

In July 2008, Diana self-published her third middle grade children's novel, Luck of the Draw, the story of an unsuccessful racehorse searching for his life's purpose. Luck of the Draw received an Honorable Mention at the 2021 EQUUS Film and Arts Fest. The book won an Honorable Mention in the Purple Dragonfly Award Middle Grade Fiction category and is also a Story Monsters Approved! winner in the Middle Grade Fiction Book category.

In March 2008, Diana self-published her second middle grade children's novel, Janie's New Legs. It is a story of friendship between a young paralyzed girl and a pony recovering from the emotional and physical scars of abuse. Janie's New Legs won the Young Adult Healing Horses category at the 2021 EQUUS Film and Arts Fest, and Honorable Mentions in the Purple Dragonfly Award Middle Grade Fiction + Charity/Making a Difference categories. Janie's New Legs is also a Story Monsters Approved! winner in the Middle Grade Fiction Book category.

In March 2006, Diana self-published her first collection of poems, entitled Let The Horses Die: Poems of Longing, Love, and Loss from 1997-2005.