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Jane Porter

Biography

Jane Porter

Born in Visalia,
California, I'm a small town girl at heart. I love central
California's golden foothills, oak trees, and the miles of
farmland. In my mind, there's nothing sweeter in the world than the
heady fragrance of orange blossoms on a sultry summer night.

As a little girl I spent hours on my bed, staring out the window,
dreaming of far off places, fearless knights, and happy-ever-after
endings. In my imagination I was never the geeky bookworm with the
thick coke-bottle glasses, but a princess, a magical fairy, a
Joan-of-Arc crusader.

My parents fed my imagination by taking our family to Europe for a
year when I was thirteen. The year away changed me (I wasn't a geek
for once!) and overseas I discovered a huge and wonderful world
with different cultures and customs. I loved everything about
Europe, but felt especially passionate about Italy and those
gorgeous Italian men (no wonder my very first Presents hero was
Italian).

I confess, after that incredible year in Europe, the travel bug
bit, and bit hard. I spent much of my high school and college years
abroad, studying in South Africa, Japan and Ireland. South Africa
remains a country of my heart, the people, the land and politics
complex and heart-wrenching.

After my years of traveling and studying I had to settle down and
earn a living. With my Bachelors degree from UCLA in American
Studies, a program that combines American literature and American
history, I've worked in sales and marketing, as well as a director
of a non-profit foundation. Later I earned my Masters in Writing
from the University of San Francisco and taught jr. high and high
school English.

I now live in rugged Seattle, Washington with my two young sons. I
never mind a rainy day, either, because that's when I sit at my
desk and write stories about far-away places, fascinating people,
and most importantly of all, love. I like a story with a happy
ending. We all do.