Bio

Jamie spent much of her childhood outside. Splashing in the pond, climbing cherry trees, and sleeping on the front porch swing allowed her imagination to run wild. Adventures in the backyard first bloomed into imaginary voyages across oceans, deserts, and mountain ranges, but later became reality as Jamie spent time living in Great Britain, Germany, France, and Paraguay. After high school, she left Utah to attend college at Stanford University and fell in love — both with California and a California boy. Eager to make an impact on the world, Jamie taught middle school. Her ESL students came from a dozen countries, so as a teacher she learned far more about history and culture than she had ever learned as a student. Her adventures really took off while parenting her own four children. She and her family have continued to explore the world as travelers, hosts to exchange students, and through the books found on the shelves of their local library.