Jackie Ricks

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jackie Ricks was born on Valentine's Day, the youngest of five children. She never had a "home town" because her father was a Baptist minister. They lived in Texas mostly, although she started school in Oklahoma and went to school briefly in Florida, attending a total of twelve different school buildings during her twelve years of school--everything from a two-room schoolhouse to a multi-story, multi-building campus. Jackie graduated from Hemphill High School in Texas and then went on to the University of Texas at Austin. She has a BA and an MA degree. She taught school for 31 years all the way from sixth grade to junior college.

Although Jackie always wanted to be a teacher, she also wrote from the time she began school. She would compose little books and "teach" her dolls and stuffed animals. Jackie continued writing for years and even tried to get published in her teens. Mrs. Ricks put writing aside for a while to have a career and family, but returned and succeeded in being published about 25 years after first trying. She wrote Sunday school literature for 14 years and has been published in various Christian magazines.

FROM THE AUTHOR

I based the main characters in my Chance on Love series on my parents. Although the books are purely fiction, I envision my parents in my head as I write. Perhaps this is because I took the opening scene of LOVE REJOICES IN THE TRUTH from their life. They began their 61+ year marriage by eloping in a similar manner.

Although my parents have been gone for several years, they always encouraged my writing. In fact, they read most of the first book of this historical romance series. Mother always loved a good Christian love story and Dad enjoyed it, too. They lived through the Depression Era and felt that I captured the times well. Several people have told me that they cannot put the books down when they read them. That's how I feel writing them. I hate to stop when I have to go "live my life" cooking, cleaning, or whatever.

I owe everything I am to God and great parents who always encouraged me to do His will. I think I am. Contact me at jdbricks@att.net. Thanks for reading.