hallie m. bertling: author

so i love the books. and i’m making my own stories, too.

while i started out my career illustrating children’s books, i kind of fell into the fine art realm with my faerie tale feet collection for longer than expected.

now?

i’m querying my middle grade novels while i write new stories! (thank you to the emrys foundation’s alice conger patterson scholarship in 2020 to help me finish my first manuscript!)

i’m also one of twelve authors to have a short story featured in 2021’s once upon a book-mas box from once upon a book club.

and was fortunate enough to attend the roskilde artist retreat in denmark {april 2022} to gather further story and illustration inspiration. i was awarded a highlights foundation scholarship to attend “summer camp in fiction” in july of 2022, and received a metropolitan arts council grant for a nearly month-long writing and research retreat in paris (march 2023) for some upcoming book projects.

if you’re an agent in the market for magically whimsical &/or artsy middle grade and author-illustrator picture book titles, please contact me!

if you’re looking for happy, colourful illustrations, i do that, too. (click here for my portfolio!)

you can also support me and follow along with all my bookish news, new stories, and new art in the crayon box over on my patreon. (bonus feature: it comes with monthly happy mail!!)

thank you! :D