J W Jenkins

At 18 I became the Sports Editor for the award-winning newspaper in Carrollton, GA where I attended college. I had absolutely no experience but after submitting a trial sports article, the news editor exclaimed, "This is great! You are a natural born writer!" They hired me! What a rush to see my own words in print and know that thousands of people would read them. I decided to minor in journalism.

In 1982 my wife, Pam, and I moved to Germany where I was to become a minister in a German church. Learning the language well enough to preach and teach Germans was a real challenge but after my first nightmare in German, I knew I was fluent. My greatest thrill was giving a week-long series of messages in a former East German church immediately after the fall of the Berlin Wall. The local German newspaper printed articles I submitted and I was even published in a German periodical. I also opened by own art studio in Germany and offered original oil paintings to the public. The proceeds went to feed the hungry of Malawi, Africa.

Now we're back in the USA enjoying time with our three grown children and their families. One summer afternoon in 2017, while sitting on our back porch in Newnan, GA, one of our pre-teenage granddaughters asked me to make up a story. That's where "Ana Stilwell's Greatest Adventure" began. As a grandfather and minister, I want my grandchildren and other young people to have fun, wholesome, mystery, adventures to enjoy. My first book even comes with a free teacher's guide (just email me). My publisher encouraged me to write more, so one book became the "Ana Stilwell Series." The book covers and many of the illustrations are my original artwork. Individuals and groups come visit me to get their books signed and also enjoy seeing the paintings that are on display.