As President of the Long Island Authors Group, Dorothy McPartland, leads a dynamic group of authors in their mission to encourage, support, and promote authorship on Long Island. She is the author and illustrator of the children’s picture book, Wishing Stars. Her degree is in Early Childhood Education, and she taught preschool for several years, creating stories with pictures to use in class. As a longtime member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, she has completed many writing and illustrating workshops. She attended the renowned, “Writing and Illustrating Books for Young Readers” course at Robert Quackenbush Studios in New York. At the School of Visual Arts, she refined her portfolio and further developed her style, through classes in “Creating Children’s Books.” Learning and practice never ends! Her passion for painting with purpose led her to create the “Buy One Give One” program. When a specially priced Wishing Stars painting/book combo is purchased, another painting/book combo is donated to a featured child or fundraising initiative.