Meet the Creators
Heather Mahlinger, Author
One of Heather Mahlinger's earliest memories is of her parents reading beloved children's stories to her, igniting a lifelong passion for picture books.
After more than 20 years, she is thrilled to finally share her enchanting story, Taylor's Tangles, originally told to entertain her children as she patiently helped them untangle their hair.
Through her debut book, Taylor’s Tangles, Heather hopes to instill in children the importance of addressing problems before they grow too big. Although this is her first book, Heather is filled with ideas for future stories and is currently working on bringing those to life.
Heather resides in Kentucky with her husband, family, and a host of pets, including Roo, the beloved dachshund featured in Taylor's Tangles.
Check out Heather’s author site here!
Mackenzie Mahlinger, Illustrator
Originally from Kentucky, Mackenzie Mahlinger is an aspiring illustrator currently studying at Barcelona Academy of Art in Spain.
With a lifelong passion for art, Mackenzie uses vibrant watercolors to create whimsical and imaginative illustrations that resonate with both children and adults alike.
Taylor’s Tangles is Mackenzie’s first children's book and she is excited to explore many more in the future, hoping to experiment with different styles and techniques. Mackenzie plans to bring a sense of joy and wonder to children everywhere through her colorful illustrations.
Roo the Dachshund, Inspirational Dog & CEO
When he’s not editing manuscripts or making appearances at social engagements as the publishing company’s mascot, Roo the Dachshund can be found curled up in his favorite beanbag with a good book.
He also enjoys snacking on fresh dog biscuits and soaking up the Kentucky sunshine outdoors, perched on his special lounge chair.
Roo is currently working on his autobiography (coming soon) and enjoying the good life as a rescue dog.
Taylor Mahlinger, Editor + Marketing Manager
Meet Taylor, the character inspiration from Heather Mahlinger’s debut children’s book, Taylor’s Tangles!
Based in Kentucky, Taylor is a writer, editor, and digital specialist with a degree in Writing, Rhetoric, Communication from Transylvania University.
Taylor currently works in digital marketing, event planning, and collaboratively with Roo Publishing. She’s working towards publishing stories of her own and hopes to bring those to life through Roo Publishing in the near future.
As an entrepreneur, Taylor dabbles in creative writing, graphic design, web design, and to this day, still battles with “Taylor’s tangles.”
Charles Mahlinger, Digital Contributor
Kentucky-based commercial photographer Charles Mahlinger has been a part of the creative world for over 50 years, specializing in artwork digitization, commercial videography, and large format printing.
Among his many talents, Charles is a machinist, artist, and lifelong musician.
He is currently working on writing original music to accompany a children’s book project with Roo Publishing (coming soon).