Born in Richmond, VA, Jennifer is the only Southerner in a family of Northerners, as is evidenced by her hybrid accent and love for Pittsburgh sports teams. Often distracted by an overactive imagination, she should have foreseen a career in writing, but as a child she only dabbled in short stories to entertain her friends. Her favorite books were anything Nancy Drew with a smattering of Trixie Belden thrown in, but even with a love for reading she saw herself being anything from scientist to fashion designer. Never a writer. Author Jennifer ValentInstead, it was a love for children that led her into nannying, a career she has enjoyed for the past fifteen years.

It wasn't until her mid-twenties when Jennifer decided to try her hand at writing for children, but the realities of breaking into the publishing industry made it necessary for her to try other forms of writing as well. She began submitting articles to Christian women's magazines and eventually decided to try writing a novel. A few successful freelance opportunities and the encouragement of a patient industry contact kept her writing and submitting her fiction to publishers.

Her fourth novel, Fireflies In December - a departure from the romantic comedies she first penned - placed in the semifinals of the Christian Writers Guild Operation First Novel contest in 2006. After some revisions, she re-submitted the novel to the 2007 Guild contest and won the prize of publication. On the heels of seeing Fireflies In December released, Jennifer looks forward to the upcoming sequel, Cottonwood Whispers, due out September 2009. And keep an eye out for the third book in the series, Catching Moondrops, releasing in the Fall of 2010.

Jennifer's sincerest hope is to glorify the Lord by writing quality Christian fiction that will inspire, encourage, and uplift readers of all ages.