Bio
Jane was born in Seattle, Washington USA and immigrated with her family to New Zealand in 1963. 'My Dad wanted to sail over in a small boat,' Jane recalls, 'but the crew mutinied. Mom put her foot down and said there was 'no way' she'd sail across the Pacific in a sail boat with two little kids.' Jane was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2001 and has written numerous articles and two books describing her own breast cancer journey. She has the 'good fortune' to live in a small cottage overlooking the sea north of Auckland. 'I enjoy each day there and take nothing for granted.'
Career
I've always wanted to write,' says Jane. 'At school I wrote 'novels' about heroes and villains and always thought when I did become a writer, I'd write adventure and espionage. Things could not have turned out differently!
'I spent most of my professional life working in the air express industry both in the USA and New Zealand and it wasn't until I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2001 that I wrote and published my first book. Welcome to the Amazon Club was not about spies and international intrigue but is a journal about my first year with breast cancer. Breast cancer made me take my writing seriously.'
Books and other written work
Jane has written two books. The first, Welcome to the Amazon Club , was published by Longacre Press in 2004. The second is The Pink Party , published by Klarer Lasserre. Both books are about Jane's own experience with breast cancer but The Pink Party also brings in the stories of two other women who face challenges with their breast cancer journeys.
Jane is a frequent contributor to the Breast Cancer Network NZ newsletter Upfront. Her work has also appeared in Pink and Next magazines.
Future plans
Jane wants to continue working for and supporting breast cancer causes. 'Having had breast cancer myself I can see there is so much we need to do to help other women,' says Jane. Jane will continue writing about breast cancer but has no plans to produce another full length work on the subject. 'I set out to write the two books,' she says, 'and I think there comes a time when you feel you've put out there what you needed to say. I'll continue to write short items about breast cancer and my life as a survivor because it is important to share that with others who are experiencing the same things. Sometimes you can feel very alone and reading the words of another person can bring reassurance and comfort.'
Jane's next project will be a work about her mother, Betty Jane.