One of a family of readers, Jo Dereske was born October 1, 1947, in Ludington, Michigan, and grew up in the small town of Walhalla, Michigan.

Her parents were so interested in books that their kitchen cupboards were used as bookcases, and early in her childhood Jo realized that she could visit other planets by writing stories of fantasy and science fiction.

After earning her B.A. and M.L.S. from Western Michigan University, Dereske was librarian at Western Washington University and owner of Corridor Information Services. She now lives with her husband, two children, and their various pets on the shores of Bellingham Bay in the northwest corner of Washington State. Always interested in outdoor activities, she spends as much time as possible outdoors, pursuing her hobby of studying insects.

Dereske's novel Glom, Gloom was nominated for the William Allen White Children's Book Award...