I grew up in a big, loud house in a small, friendly town in Western New York. My parents married young and by their early twenties were the proud owners of four stairstep children. I'm second step from the bottom.

Over the past two decades I have had many interesting careers-- everything from hairdressing to packing egg cartons to selling wallpaper. I am currently employed as a teaching assistant, working with children with severe/profound mental retardation. Though it is my job to help them learn, I often find it is these beautiful children who teach me. In sharing their triumphs and struggles, I have learned much about the fortitude of the human spirit; about not giving up, even when so very many of life's cards are stacked against you.

I've been writing profesionally since 1996, and  have been  priviledged to see my essays and short stories in a number of fine publications. My first novel, The Winds of Autumn, was published in 2005. My second novel, Waiting for the Rain, a paranormal romance, was named Novel Of The Year at Champagne Books. Check out my reviews! My third novel, a time - travel romance entitled Heatherfield, was released in February, 2008 from Black Lyon Publishing! Novel number four, IN THE SHADOW OF THE DRAGONFLY, in October of 2008, and my latest, SHADOW LAKE,  is NOW AVAILABLE at Amazon and Black Lyon Publishing. (Oh, it's available as an e-book, too!) 

When not writing, I enjoy reading, gardening, listening to beautiful music and marathon Yahtzee tournaments with my phenomenally handsome husband and my brilliant fifteen-year-old son.

My essays and short stories have appeared in GRIT, Bird Times, Whispers From Heaven, The Iconoclast, Hindsight, Folklore!, Purpose, Anthology, About Such Things, True Romance, and others. My paranormal romance novel, WAITING FOR THE RAIN, was named NOVEL OF THE YEAR for 2007 at Champagne Books!

SHADOW LAKE -- Book One in my Love On The Lake Series is now available in e-book and paperback formats at Amazon and in my publisher's bookstore! www.blacklyonpublishing.com

some dreams never die
The website features sample chapters and ordering info for my books as well as blogs, contests, and news about new writing projects.

Champagne Books

Black Lyon Publishing

My Blog
The official M. Jean Pike Weblog a handful of thoughts about writing, and about life