About Janet

I was born in England within sight of St. Mary’s Island Lighthouse on April 23, 1942.
My father was deployed before my birth, and demobilized a year after the end of WWII in 1946. I met him for the first time when I was four years old.
During the war my pet rabbit was stolen from his hutch. I was heartbroken, knowing full well what happened to Peter Rabbit’s father. (He was put in a pie by Mrs. McGregor!)
I learned to read under the stairs, while sheltering from bombing raids. When I was handed my first library card, my world opened up.
From an early age, I scribbled stories on shopping bags, used envelopes, simply any scrap of paper available.
My faith in my ability to write was severely damaged when I was fourteen years old.
I grew up, traveled widely, and ended up in America, where I got married, and raised a family. Finally overcoming the sting of that long-ago rejection, I followed my dream and began writing stories.
After much hard work, I published picture books and novels for teens, and earned amongst other awards a McKnight Artist Fellowship in Children’s Literature.
Encouraged by my fellow writers, I tackled a novel for adults. The Sting of Love will be available world-wide on September 1, 2020.
I live in an apartment in Minnesota, surrounded by treasured family mementos, and books, books, books. I consider myself blessed.