Sunday, October 12, 2008

Janet Ann Collins


Thank you, Janet, we're happy to introduce you and your upcoming book.



Janet Ann Collins wrote feature articles for a newspaper in the San Francisco Bay area for two years and her work has appeared in many other publications including Parents' Press, Bay Area Parent, Sunshine Magazine, Mailbox for Teachers, InTouch, Spirit Led Writer, WIN Informer, Bay Area Parent, New Christian Voices, and Pockets, among others, as well as several anthologies. Once she even won a local poetry contest.

Her first book, Secret Service; Not Just a Christmas Adventure, is under contract with Guardian Angel Publishing and scheduled to be published in September 2009. It's about Nicholas, who discovered the adventure of secret giving and later became known as Santa Claus. This book was written before the stock market crash but she hopes it will help kids whose parents can't afford expensive gifts find other ways to enjoy celebrating Christmas.

Collins is a retired teacher and enjoys public speaking. She has taught introductory classes in American Sign Language for adults and led workshops at various conferences. She worked in the dormitories at California School for the Deaf for many years and raised three deaf foster sons in addition to a birth daughter. Since retiring, Collins and her husband and moved to the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains in Northern CA, but often go back to the SF area to visit family, including their grandson.
For more information please go to www.janetanncollins.com or http://onwordsblog.blogspot.com/


Hi Janet,


We'd love to know more who Janet really is. Can you tell us a bit about you?


Q. If you werenít a writer, what would you be doing with your life?

Since I'm officially retired I could just sit around and read, but, much as I love books, that would get old fast. I'd probably do some part time teaching and maybe get involved in a drama group in addition to the volunteering I already do. But it's hard to imagine a life without writing.


Q. In two paragraphs or less write your obituary.


Janet Ann Collins passed away this week. She is survived by her husband, daughter, grandson, several former foster sons with special needs, and many other relatives. She is also survived by the books she wrote, which will probably continue to be popular for many years to come. Her life will be celebrated at her church this weekend, followed by a party where some of the people whose lives she touched can share their stories. Collins was an award-winning author and her writing helped to change the lives of many children and adults for the better.A memorial fund to provide books for children who can't afford them has been set up in her honor.

7 comments:

Janet Ann Collins said...

Thank you, Lanaia.

Joy Louise said...

Lanaia and Janet,
Thanks for sharing. I look forward to reading more as the week goes on.

Joy aka Zebee, or is it the other way around?

Vivian Zabel said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Vivian Zabel said...

I mixed myself up, deleted the confused comment. Now I will try to make sense.

Thank you, Lanaia, for bringing interesting information about Janet to our attention.

Vivian

Karen Cioffi said...

Janet,
Your book sounds great. I like your obituary answer. Interesting information, looking forward to more.

Lanaia, thanks for hosting Janet.

Karen Cioffi

Unknown said...

I think your book sounds terrific. Hope the economy doesn't hurt too much!

Luz said...

I'm feeling particularly happy that my first book "Tales My Ghanaian Grandmother Told Me" has just been published.(http://www.strategicbookpublishing.com/TalesMyGhanaianGrandmotherToldMe.html)

I was most interested to learn that you have fostered children with a hearing disability. My next book contains a story which has as one of the characters a deaf and blind little boy.

I was a Dance and Movement Therapist for some years and worked a great deal with children who had profound physical/learning and/or challenging behavior problems.

i really hope that this has enabled me to incorporate these children naturally into my stories.