Diller, Janelle

Diller, Janelle
Birth State
KS
Current Location
Colorado Springs, CO
Biography

I’ve always had a passion for writing. Early on, I polished my writing skills by passing notes to my friends instead of paying attention in math class. The resulting time in detention gave me lots of time to write more notes. As a young child, I wouldn’t leave home without a pad and pencil just in case my novel hit me, and I had to scribble it down quickly. Sadly, I eventually lost this naiveté. However, as a result of my love of writing, I have an unusual variety of books published. The list includes books for the construction industry and grammar textbooks. (If writing about drywall or gerunds is better than not writing at all, it says something about what drives me.) Fortunately, I also write novels for adults, as well as early chapter books for young readers. This is the writing that feeds my soul. These days, I’m having a ball creating the Australian, Austria, and Mexico books for Pack-n-Go Girls travel and adventure series. The Amazon best selling series is targeted for early readers ages six to nine. In whatever spare time I have, one of my favorite things to do is to connect with my readers. Whether you’re in a classroom, book club, or other group, I’d love to visit in person—time and geography permitting—or on Skype. Contact me at janelle@packngogirls.com.

Awards/Honors
2017 IPPY Bronze Award - Never Enough Flamingos
2017 CIPA Evvy Gold - Never Enough Flamingos
2017 Kansas Notable Book - Never Enough Flamingos
2017 Literary Classics Gold - Best Series - Young Reader, Pack-n-Go Girls Adventures
2017 CIPA Evvy Silver - Children's Story Books, Pack-n-Go Girls Adventures
2017 Moonbeam Children's Book Award Silver - Best Chapter Book Series, Pack-n-Go Girls Adventures
2016 CIPA Evvy Award Winner, Pack-n-Go Girls Adventures
2014 Moonbeam Children's Book Awards - Gold Medal for Best Children's Chapter Book Series
2016 Colorado Book Award Finalist - The Virus
2016 Book Pipeline Competition Semifinalist - The Virus
2015 CIPA Evvy Silver - Literary and Contemporary Fiction, The Virus
Education/Training
Master of Arts Degree in Curriculum and Instruction, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs - Bachelor of Arts Degree in History/English, Goshen College
Published Works Book Jackets
Speaker Availability
Yes
Speaker Topics
Writing - Children's books - Mennonites - Personal privacy issues