J.R. Teasdale was born on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, in New Brunswick, Canada—the maritime province easterners have dubbed their beloved Acadia. Her favorite strokes as a child were swimming with the fish, kicking in the suds, avoiding the burn of jellyfish and loving the lick of salt water on her lips.

The eldest of six children, the time for childishness dissipated quickly. There were piano lessons in her early years. "I could read music before I could read words. To this day, I prefer not having the sound of music around, because it often clashes with the melodies that fill my head from the time I wake-up to the time I fall asleep."

Studying with nuns at a Catholic convent, the onus of responsibility was instilled early, opening the doors to introspection and the timid scrutiny of people around her. "I guess two of the great influences in my life—I have had many, my sweet children for example—have been my father, for one. He was extremely erudite. He was gentle, affable; not at all as he appeared to be, this stern director of radio for CBC. They called him the 'word magician'. He taught us the true art of—playing with words. The other great mentor was my maternal grandfather. He was this tall giant, always quiet, forever fighting to blend with his background. His eyes would come alive when the mood would strike him to tell stories, and children and grown-ups alike gathered to listen. He would weave plots and spellbind us with suspense and mystery for hours. It took me years to understand why he could never tell the same story twice. He had never learned to read and write."

J.R. Teasdale married young. First came two girls, then two boys followed by an enormous array of household pets, cats and dogs and guppies and some—not so common. "We had a hobby farm and raised horses for a time. The children were members of our local Pony Club. They were fun years."

When her sales and marketing career burgeoned, first as a sales director with a leading cosmetics firm, then as a public speaker and trainer with another multi-national corporation, she was able to experience the adventure she had always known was out there. She dabbled in the newfound art of NLP, Neuro Linguistic Programming. She attended seminars with Anthony Robbins, Zig Ziglar and Mark Victor Hansen. She even took part in a local chapter of Edgar Cayce's spiritual fan club. She traveled extensively, while she and her family experienced many residential moves.

These encounters brought J.R. deeper and deeper into life's riptide motion. Then one day, while living in Miami, walking on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean and loving the lick of salt water on her lips, the stories began writing themselves. "I remember these characters jumping out at me, just talking and doing their own thing inside my head. They fabricated these vivid tall tales, and I had to sit and write them down. And I did—still am. I love it."

J.R. thanks her many favorite authors for added inspiration: Mazo de la Roche—The Whiteoaks of Jalna; Sandra Gulland—The Many Lives and Secret Sorrows of Josephine B.; and of course, John Grisham, Pat Conroy, Erich Segal, Barbara Taylor Bradford, Judith Krantz, James Redfield, Danielle Steel, Deepak Chopra—the list goes on.

"You know you've read a good book when you turn the last page and feel a little as if you have lost a friend."—Paul Sweeney

CONTACT THE AUTHOR:
For Group discussions, for signings, for fundraisers.
Via e-mail: fiction@jrteasdale.com

I believe there is fun in fiction. More than escapiem, stories rejuvenate the mind whatever the length or weight of its journey may be. I have enjoyed many hours getting lost in the corridors of a good mystery. This is why most of my books whether they deal with romance, adventure involving fast-paced action, a bried look into the human psyche, or baring some of the world's anomalies, always spring twists and turns rounding the bend to some delicious mystery.

I hope you will enjoy reading them as much as I have writing them.

Grab a cup of coffee, curl up in your favorite chair, and may fiction be your fuel for fun.

I would love to hear from you—your impressions, your ieas.

You can e-mail me at fiction@jrteasdale.com