Paul Siefken grew up in New Orleans, down the street from Bayou Saint John, where he and his siblings spent time riding bikes along the levee. As a kid, he watched Saints games in the Superdome, served as reader at Saint Louis Cathedral, and watched Mardi Gras parades from the stands at Gallier Hall downtown. Paul was living in Washington, D.C. when Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. His parents, siblings and extended family were among the thousands of people who evacuated, forced to find housing for months after the devastating flood. Now living in Pittsburgh, Paul and his family visit New Orleans to enjoy family time and take in the food, music, and history of the great city. Paul taught high school English in North Carolina and Georgia before starting a career in children's television, first at Cartoon Network in Atlanta, then at PBS KIDS in Washington, D.C., and now as president of Fred Rogers Productions in Pittsburgh. He's written chapter books for Cartoon Network series The Powerpuff Girls and Samurai Jack and has had several short plays produced in New York. The upcoming historical fantasy Vernon Poche & The Ghosts of New Orleans is Paul's first novel.