Austin, Texas fantasy author!
The second child and daughter in her family, Jo spent the first few years of her life in Boise, Idaho before moving to southern California, to Carpinteria, where she used to boogie-board her days away wishing she "could go to school" like her big sister. When Jo was in second grade, her family moved to Santa Barbara, where a program at her local library first sparked her love of books. In 6th grade, the Whittemores again moved, this time to Montgomery, Texas, where Jo would live until college, graduating high school third in her class!
When she was 23, Jo began writing. Although she laughs these days that she had started writing "expecting to be published at 25" and "a bestseller by 27", her success is still fantastically fast! Jo was first inspired to start writing after seeing Terry Brooks in 2000 talk about the success of children's fantasy novels. She wrote the first draft of Escape from Arylon (the first of the Silverskin Legacy trilogy) in a year and a half!
After a pile of rejections almost made her start a new project, Jo was reinspired after meeting with Q.L. Pearce during the 2003 SCBWI summer conference. The author and former editor gave Jo a few encouraging remarks, which booster her confidence enough to approach Llewellyn Worldwide's acquisitions editor at that same conference. She was given a business card and told to send in her manuscript after checking out the submissions guideline.
In 2004, Jo heard back from Llewellyn. They had enjoyed her manuscript, but needed a few changes before they could publish it. After Jo made the changes, in 2005 she got THE call! Llewellyn Worldwide wanted to offer a contract! And a year later, in March 2006, Jo became an officially published author when Escape from Arylon hit bookshelves everywhere.
Escape is the story of two ex-best friends, Ainsley and Megan, who "find themselves transported to a world of magic with their only way home residing in a magical staff of elements. Unfortunately, the staff has been stolen, and it’s up to Ainsley and Megan to find it so they can escape from Arylon."
So what is on Jo's plate for the future? Writing the final third of the Silverskin Legacy, of course! Watch for Curse of Arastold, the middle book in the Silverskin Legacy trilogy, to be in stores July 2006!
Jo is one of the original members of anti-censorship group AS IF! (Authors Supporting Intellectual Freedom). AS IF! is works especially for "books for and about teens."
Jo met her future husband during her last year of college, but when it came time for popping the question, it was Jo who did the honors!
Did you know? If Jo had been a boy, her dad had wanted to name her 'Jedediah' or 'Jeremiah'!
Click here to read YAW's 5/30/06 interview with Jo!
click here!
(click title go to Amazon.com!)
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Contact B. at youngadultwriters@yahoo.com