Maureen Burdock was born in the Black Forest, Germany, and grew up on a steady diet of fairy tales and classic children's literature. She moved to the Chicago area with her mother after first grade. She learned English quickly by challenging herself to read all of the books on the shelves of her local public library's children's section. Burdock won her first prize for an illustrated short story about two hot dogs who bravely escape from a frying pan…only to be carried off by a stray dog! The award included a personal meeting with a real published author. Burdock knew then that her destiny was to become a writer and illustrator. Her art and comics have been exhibited and published in ten countries. Graphic Mundi Press published her graphic memoir, Queen of Snails, in November of 2022. She is working on her third graphic novel, Sleepless Planet: A Graphic Guide to Coping with Insomnia. Burdock lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico, with her wife and boxer dog.