Hi All!

My name is Rachel Franciosa and I feel incredibly excited to share “Bonnie the Butterfly” with all of you! This story captures my view on the importance of self-love, and the understanding that beauty shows itself in so many ways.

I currently live in upstate NY with my husband and two beautiful kiddos, Enzo (6) and Elsie (4). Before I had children, I was a singer/songwriter and performer, spending much of my time playing at restaurants or busking on the street in my college town of St. Augustine, FL.

However, once I settled down with my young family in my hometown in Upstate NY, my glory days of late-night gigs shifted to middle-of-the-night snuggle sessions with my babies, singing ‘Baby Beluga’ and reading “The Hungry Caterpillar” until the sun came up. During this transition of my life, I read so many children’s books and found myself continually inspired by amazing authors like Julia Donaldson and Eric Carle. It is the magic in their stories that continue to play such a unique role in how we raise our children today! Whether it’s the message behind the words, the rhymes that get stuck in our head, or the bright illustrations that capture our attention, these children’s books have such an impact on our kiddos.  

It was during the pandemic in 2020, that I thought, “How cool would it be to read a book that I wrote to my own kids? Or how awesome would it be to share my message of self-love with my community?” It was then that I put a pen to paper, and slowly, 4 years later, “Bonnie the Butterfly” was born! It is through Bonnie’s journey that I hope I can inspire your kiddos and spark joy next time you cuddle up to read a bedtime story.

In addition to writing, I work full-time at a consulting firm that focuses on strategy, leadership, and culture. When not at work, you can find me spending time with my amazing family and friends. My happy place consists of spending my summers in the Adirondack Mountains at Brant Lake or singing on stage with my husband’s band. I also love making art, traveling to new places, getting lost in the aisles of Target, and hula hooping.

I hold a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Flagler College in Florida, and a certificate in Therapeutic Recreation from University of Wisconsin.