Jean Bashor Tolle eats history for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Her lifelong appetite for individual tales of triumph and tragedy flavor her historical novels, like The Galty Prize. A graduate of Stanford University, Jean tackles story-telling with loyalty to historical integrity and attention to a well-developed character with which all can identify.

Besides The Galty Prize, she has published a middle-grade children's novel, The Great Pete Penney (A Margaret K. MacElderry Book, a Children's Choice Award from Parents' Magazine; also published in Japanese translation by Obun Sha, Tokyo and serialized in Cricket Magazine).

Her poetry has been published in the literary journals, Rhino and Willow Review and on-line by Howling Moon. Forthcoming novels include: an adult Historical Novel, River of Palms, and a young adult novel, The View from Elvira Middleworth's Cupola. A children's story, Dazzle, the Horse of Fire will soon be published in Spider Magazine.

Next to family and writing, Jean's passion is helping other writers. She has given numerous writing workshops to children and adults and taught courses in writing at Harper College in Palatine, Illinois and Indian Trails Library in Wheeling, Illinois.

Currently settled in Barrington, Illinois near her two children and five grandchildren, Jean lives with her husband Ed Tolle and a Golden Retriever named Millie. Jean Bashor Tolle's personal history begins in California, the daughter of pioneer Orange ranchers. Following Stanford, Jean launched into her teaching career while preparing for her goal to be an appreciated author and poet. When Jean married, her husband's Air Force and corporate careers sent them to Texas, South Carolina, Michigan and Illinois. They enjoy a wealth of friends on both coasts and nearly all points in between.

Other Books by Jean Tolle

The Great Pete Penney (Middle-grade novel), a young girl with a passion for baseball, plays on a previously all-boy team. When a leprechaun grants her wish, she becomes a star pitcher. But when the leprechaun tries to control her, Pete rebels.

The Galty Prize (Teen and Adult Novel) honors young Irish passion and courage in the face of poverty and oppression.

The River of Palms (Adult Novel) brings to life the heart-breaking challenges facing Cabeza de Vaca, the Spanish explorer. In the wake of Christopher Columbus, Hernando Cortez and Juan Ponce de Leon, Cabeza de Vaca crossed the North American Continent--the first European to do so--most of it on foot, from Florida and the Gulf Coast to the Pacific Ocean. The memory of the beautiful young wife he left in Spain pushes him to find his way while enduring the torture of slavery and the ravages of extreme conditions.

Elvira Middleworth (Young-Adult Novel) was the wife of a Yankee sea captain of the nineteenth century. Her modern-day descendent, a teenager, vacations with her cousin, aunt and grandmother in Elvira's house on Soame Island. With the help of an island boy, she imagines Elvira's life, with startling and mysterious results.

Jean Tolle welcomes your questions, comments and greetings:
SayHi@JeanTolleBooks.com.