Kristin Beale is a published author and illustrator from Virginia. She has completed 16 marathons, is a nationally-competing wheelchair fencer, public speaker, and works for Morgan James Publishing as a literary scout. At age fourteen, Kristin Beale was enjoying a happy summer vacation when a Jet-Ski accident turned her life upside-down—and nearly ended it. Ever since then, she has had to overcome not only the physical but the psychological toll of her injuries—and her grit and courage have been an inspiration to countless people.

She wrote the book Greater Things, to offer a personal perspective on everything from how people react to her, to learning how to navigate in and through an inaccessible world, to just trying to make the best of a crummy situation. She also wrote Date Me, a collection of comics that tell the

stories of dating in a wheelchair, social situations that are sculpted by people’s reactions to the wheelchair, and her struggle trying to fit in from the perspective of a wheelchair. Dating is hard enough as as able-bodied person. Throw in the variable of a wheelchair, and “hard” becomes “almost not worth it.” She then wrote In A Million Suns, where she learns how to move from the darkness of her disability, into the sunlight of her new circumstance. This is the story of redefining the passions she lost with her paralysis, and rediscovering her happiness. (All three books are available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Borders.

Kristin also has a following on Instagram @kristin.gupta. Or you can follow her on @greater.things.comics and receive a new comic every Tuesday! (or, sign up below for that comic in your inbox on Monday )

kristinbeale@gmail.com

www.kristinbeale.com