About Jane

I am Jane Mason and I love to write. Books, mostly. I also love swimming in seriously cold water, like lakes that still have ice on them, or the San Francisco Bay. If I’m not writing or swimming I am probably in an orchard or a berry patch picking fruit so I can smash it and simmer it into jam. Nothing makes me happier than a good book, a strong cup of Assam tea, and toast slathered with jam—especially after a long, cold swim.

I’ve always liked to read, but really fell for writing. I filled umpteen journals as a teenager and studied creative writing at Hamilton College. As soon as I graduated I high tailed it to New York City and got a job as an editorial assistant at a publishing house. I worked my way up to editor while taking small writing jobs on the side. Eventually my husband and I moved to California and after a brief stint with Lucasfilm, I took the plunge into full-time writing.

I’ve written all kinds of books for all kinds of readers, but am especially drawn to writing books that deal with the tricky stuff. Because let’s face it, being a human being can be seriously tricky. I hope to help my characters, my readers, and myself make sense of themselves and the world. And also laugh a lot and cry a little along the way.

I was born in Duluth, Minnesota, at the tail end of a large family. As a child I spent as much time as possible building snow forts, climbing trees, and swimming in Lake Superior. I have lived in Connecticut, New York, and California, where I appear to be staying. I make my home in Oakland with my husband and three kids. Four if you count the dog, who usually insists on being counted. And who can blame him? We all want to count.