The J in J.A. stands for Jim, and when Jim was a boy he grew up in an Iowa neighborhood that was just a stone's throw from woods and cricks, cornfields and farm ponds. Without any hesitation, Jim's parents swept him and his siblings outside every chance they could. Hiking through the woods, fishing and swimming in lakes and ponds, wrestling with his brothers, and playing hours and hours of backyard football and baseball shaped his youth. When it was time to be inside, reading was Jim's passion. He devoured every book that he could get his hands on.

He now lives in Vermont with his lovely wife Darlene and after having raised four wonderful adventurous children, they have happily become grandparents and are anxiously awaiting the birth of their next grandchild!

The grandparent plan is not only to read wonderful wholesome adventurous books to his grandchildren, but to also write them! He is already hard at work on the next installment in the further adventures of Auggie Thumb!