Teri Lynn Hensel chose the pen name “Terilyn Hensel” to honor her deceased father and mother. Her mother’s name is Jerilyn, so, when Teri was born, her father wanted to name her Terilyn. Her mother liked the idea, but opted to simplify the name because few people ever pronounced or spelled it correctly.
Though a native of Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania, Teri and her husband, Christopher Robert, raised their two daughters in the Pocono Mountains. Currently, the family resides in south central Massachusetts where she enjoys teaching, reading, writing, gardening, and spending time with her husband, children, and grandsons.
Influenced by her high school English teacher, Teri’s love of writing spans a lifetime. With degrees in English Writing, English Education, and a minor in American Literature received from Slippery Rock University, she has a total of thirty-six years of teaching, journalistic, grant, and film writing experience.
Teri and her husband (a maker of faith-based films) have traveled to all fifty states. After scouring libraries and bookstores across the country, Teri recognized the lack of children’s literature dedicated to the challenges faced by families of children on the autism spectrum. In an attempt to give those families a voice, Teri combined her love of all children with her passion for researching and writing. Donny Loves Cats is the first book in a series devoted to that purpose. With the help of families who face such obstacles, and allies who advocate for these children and their families, the series will follow Donny and his family as they navigate the experiences children on the spectrum face.
