About Me

I’ve loved the written word for as long as I can remember. I used to run my hands over my publisher grandfather’s walls of books, mooning over typefaces and plumbing his thesaurus for strange, exotic-sounding words. My first major works included two epic poems (one about my love for Batman, one about my fifth grade love triangle) and a picture book about a pink, foul-mouthed dragon. It wasn’t until college that I realized I didn’t just love the writing itself: I revel in the collaborative effort it takes to put together a piece of writing, the rounds of back-and-forth editing and the physical process of turning words into a book. I spent long days writing clandestine poetry and talking students down from the writing ledge in CNU's Writing Center, which taught me a lot about how to write. Then I went backpacking in Europe in search of trouble and good stories. 

I traveled the world on the hunt for inspiration and found it everywhere. My adventures led me to Australia, where I got a Masters in Journalism that taught me how to collect and express good stories without using one superfluous word. I took my first stab at start-to-finish novelling in 2009 with a story about magic and what happens when you spy on neighbors. My second book (2010-2011), about shape shifters, small town assumptions, and finding a place where you belong, was also the first novel I shopped to agents. My third novel (2012 - 2014), about ghosts, singing, and difficult choices, is one I'm currently wrapping up and preparing to send out into the wider world. All of my books are YA speculative fiction.

I split my time between teaching high school, writing, and working as a freelance editor for travel-based publications. I love writing "what if?" stories that explore truths by working through what could be. My favorite things outside of writing are spending time in the wilderness, reading, traveling to faraway places, and hanging out with my family and friends. I've got a professional website over at www.katejarmstrong.com where you can read more about my editorial work.