Ellington, Charlotte: - Charlotte Ellington resides in St. Albans, Missouri, near the very spot where Captain Meriwether Lewis scaled a cliff and nearly fell to his death in the very early days of the Expedition. Her early fascination with the Lewis and Clark Expedition began years ago when she visited the Museum of Westward Expansion located beneath St. Louis' iconic Arch. The walk-through exhibit featured colorful murals with inspirational quotes from the diaries of Lewis and Clark as well as recreated scenes with life-sized stuffed animals. Of course, Sacagawea played a crucial role in the narrative, and Charlotte has always had an interest in noteworthy Native American women. Her first two books, Beloved Mother: The Story of Nancy Ward and Dancing Leaf, portray strong Cherokee women. In addition to reading and writing, Charlotte enjoys spending time with family, which includes her husband, two sons, two daughters-in-law, and four grandchildren.