Jean Harrington

Writing has me hooked though the realization was a long time coming. As a child I wanted to be a foreign correspondent when I grew up. I must have been a romantic even then, but reality set in and instead I went to the exotic University of Rhode Island for a degree in English literature and stayed on as a teaching assistant while I earned my master’s degree.

In the meantime, I had married John (he loves it when I give my heroes his name), and we have two grown children, Mary Lee and Chris, and three granddaughters, Amy, Laura and Carolyn.

Following URI and a stint writing PR and advertising copy, I taught writing and lit for sixteen years at Becker College in Worcester, Massachusetts. I enjoyed this period of my life tremendously, but when I think back, I realize that always simmering on the back burner of my brain was the old adage, “Those who can do; those who can’t teach.”

Not necessarily true, but after I raised my children, left Becker and moved to Florida with Big John, the gig was up. I began to write, and write, and write, and, well, you get the picture . . . .

My debut novel tells the tale of the captivating, defiant Grace O’Malley, THE BAREFOOT QUEEN, who risks everything she loves for a vow she holds dearer than life itself.