Kirstin Cronn-Mills, PhD, teaches writing, literature, and critical thinking at South Central College in North Mankato, Minnesota. She writes fiction, poetry, and nonfiction books and articles. Her first young adult novel, The Sky Always Hears Me and the Hills Don't Mind, was a Minnesota Book Award finalist. Her second—Beautiful Music for Ugly Children, a coming-of-age story about Gabe, a trans* music geek—was a Lambda Literary Award finalist and the 2014 Stonewall Book Award winner for best children's and young adult book about the gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender experience.