Keri Ann Payne

Hello! My name is Keri and I'm the author of Phyllis the Flamingo. I wrote this children's book in memory of my sweet and bubbly mother who passed away in March of 2021. She was a lover of flamingos and all things positive and cheerful, so what better way to keep her spirit alive?

I grew up in Alabama surrounded with a loving family and made the move to sunny Florida in 2020. I've always worked in either broadcasting media or the competitive dance business, but with covid at the top of the world's problems I ended up getting a job as a preschool teacher and lifeguard. I have always LOVED working with kids and the idea for a children's book kept popping into my head. I tossed around a few ideas, but never landed on anything I felt passionate about. It wasn't until my mom's sudden passing in 2021 that I began to brainstorm on keeping her spirit alive. That's when Phyllis the Flamingo was born!

I currently work full-time teaching, choreographing, and managing the social media for Dansations Performing Arts Center in Jacksonville, FL. I'm a lover of Jesus, Fleetwood Mac, flowers, and traveling. I'm a dog mom to Hugo and in my spare time I'm either paddle boarding, dancing, or finding the next best taco! Thank you to EVERYONE who has supported me in this creative adventure and God bless you all.

www.phyllistheflamingo.com