Born in Melbourne Australia,author Jane Blythe became interested in reading and writing at an early age. As a child some of her favorite books were Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House books, The Babysitters Club, and Sweet Valley. However it wasn’t just reading that interested her, she also quickly developed a love of writing, penning little plays that she acted out with her brothers, and many short stories. This love of writing intensified in the sixth grade, with a bona fide author for a teacher, and a new laptop, suddenly there were endless writing opportunities and a mind full to brimming with ideas. Throughout her years at Lowther Hall Anglican Grammar School she continued to develop her writing skills, including composing an eighth grade short novel that received an A even if the teacher commented on how funny the story had been, the story that was meant to be a drama! After school she went on to study at The University of Melbourne, where she received her Bachelor of Early Childhood Education. It was during her years at university that she really began to hone her creative juices, spending many hours watching soap operas and every crime drama TV series that came along, she soon realized that writing crime/mystery was her passion. Upon completion of her degree she entered the world of teaching, spending six years as a preschool teacher, she began to feel a desire to write a series of picture books aimed at preschoolers to help them develop social and emotional skills. This dream, however, was put on hold when she left her teaching job to dedicate more time to her crime/mystery writing, her first novel ‘A Secret to the Grave’ was published the following year. With four follow up books to her first novel all in the works, as well as her very first picture book, and plans for a series of fantasy books for pre-teens, she has lots to keep her busy. As a teacher and a writer Jane wanted to do something to inspire kids who also dream of being an author by providing them with a way to start on their writing journey and get their first novel published, thus she began the first publishing company just for kids, Bear Spots Publications. When she’s not writing, Jane loves to spend time with family and friends, visit the beach in summer and the snow in winter, play with her two Dalmatians, Ivory and Pearl, work towards her black belt in Taekwondo, add new teddy bears to her 200+ collection, and bake, bake and bake some more!
Visit her website at www.janeblythe.com.au