About me
Jenna Ambrose grew up in the '80's and spent most of her childhood in Fairfax County, Virginia, running barefoot and playing in the woods. In school she was a daydreamer, and consequently struggled. However, in Fourth Grade she had a teacher who spurred her to excel in Creative Writing. During her junior year in High School she decided to start trying harder and went from B's and C's to A's. She graduated from Ohio State with a degree in Occupational Therapy, after which time she worked in her field, as well as many other jobs including volunteer work in Baku, Azerbaijan. In 2000 she married a wonderful man, and they now have five beautiful children. At the inspiration of a friend, she began writing Before the Bell Rings between her second and third pregnancy. As a homeschooling mom, finding time to write wasn't easy. It took a total of fifteen years for Jenna to finalize Before the Bell Rings and get it published. Jenna loves making omelets, snacking on weird food, and reading (especially reading aloud to small children). She has many other stories planned, and will keep writing as God allows.
- Fairfax County, VA
- Ohio State, Occupational Therapy
- Mother of five
- Homeschooler
Vanna of the Opera
The sequel to Before the Bell Rings
Wildly temperamental Vanna Worthington has just gotten the lead in a D.C. spinoff of the classic, Phantom of the Opera. But her dreams of fame are suddenly overshadowed when a series of unkind notes pose a threat to her welfare…
Before the Bell Rings
A sweet and funny romance/adventure set in the late 1980's in Washington, D.C. — a restaurant, two brothers, and a young runaway with dreams of becoming a top chef.
Learn moreWhat people are saying
I really enjoyed this book!!! It is one of the best books I have ever read, with lots of adventure and a good romance! Character development is excellent! If you like clean romance mixed with a hint of mystery and a lot of excitement, this book is definitely for you! It is an easy and fun read, and you will be sad when you finish it.
I've read a lot of books and this one was amazing! I couldn't put it down. I would definitely recommend this book for anyone!
With different backgrounds and for very different reasons, Vanna Worthington and Sabrina Beck are in grave danger. Their lives become intertwined as loved ones work with the police to protect them, sort out details, and solve both cases before it is too late. Author Jenna Ambrose has created a page-turner that I definitely recommend!
I enjoyed reading this novel. It had a nice mix of romance, suspense, and mystery. I found it to be a real page-turner. I also appreciate that it is a clean book suitable for a Christian audience. - Chad
Such a good book. Really kept my interest. Was exciting to follow the characters and the mystery.
Suspense, romance, fine cuisine, men of integrity v. morally challenged politicians and a real trooper of a heroine---all served up in a clean dish of true American flavors. This was an enjoyable book and should have a particular appeal to younger people with life and hope ahead of them and who would like to read something with zest but no pith. Jenna Ambrose has scored well with this one.
City of Refuge
Three men ride into Hebron, a city of refuge during the time of David's flight from Saul. One has killed a man. It is up to Eliel the scribe, and his son, Phineas, to discover the details and whether the man is deserving the shelter of the city. Was it an accident? A crime of passion? Envy? Revenge? Or Love?
Books I love
I am not just a writer, but a reader as well. Here is a list of books that I really love. If you have a recommendation for me I would love to hear about it.
For me
- The Scottish Chiefs, Jane Porter (my all-time favorite)
- The Pathfinder, The Last of the Mohicans, The Deerslayer, and The Spy, James Fenimore Cooper
- Ivanhoe, Sir Walter Scott
- The Count of Monte Cristo, and The Three Musketeers, Alexandre Dumas
- Pride and Prejudice, Emma, and Mansfield Park, Jane Austen. I like her other works, too, but these three are my favorite.
- Laddie, Jean Stratton Porter.
- Ben-Hur, Lew Wallace
- Up From Slavery, Booker T. Washington
- The Boys in the Boat, Daniel James Brown
- Regency Buck, and Simon the Coldheart, Georgette Heyer
- The Gideon Trilogy, Linda Buckley-Archer
- Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte
- To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee
For the kids
I have 5 children, and I make them read a lot. Also, I love to read aloud to the little ones. Sometimes it can be difficult to find good books at the library. Here is a list of books that I have found to be good, starting with the wee little ones and progressing in age:
- Nursery Rhymes (Mother Goose is an example)
- Beatrix Potter Books
- Aesop's Fables
- Old Mother West Wind, Thornton Burgess
- The Adventures of Chatterer, the Red Squirrel, Thornton Burgess
- Winnie the Pooh, A.A. Milne
- Berenstain Bears Books, Stan and Jan Berenstain
- Fifty Famous Stories, James Baldwin (my personal favorite)
- Uncle Wiggily and His Friends, Howard R. Garis
- The Tale of Jolly Robin, The Tale of Solomon Owl, The Tale of Reddy Woodpecker, The Tale of Chirpy Cricket, and The Tale of Paddy Muskrat by Arthur Scott Bailey
- Scholastic I Can Read Series, like Sir Small and the Dragonfly and Give Me a Sign, Helen Keller
- The Courage of Sarah Noble, Alice Dagliesh
- The Matchlock Gun, Walter D. Edmonds
- The One Hundred Penny Box, Sharon Bell Mathis
- The Boxcar Children Series, Gertrude Chandler Warner
- Farmer Boy, Laura Ingalls Wilder
- Little House Series, Laura Ingalls Wilder
- Pinocchio, C. Collodi
- The Happy Hollisters, Jerry West
- Abel's Island, William Steig
- Chitty, Chitty, Bang, Bang, Ian Fleming
- Bambi, Felix Salten
- Ranger Rick Magazine
- Which Way USA Magazine
- Hardy Boys or Nancy Drew
- The Tom Swift Series, Victor Appleton
- The Rover Boys Series
- Ruth Fielding of the Red Mill, Alice B. Emerson
- Anne of Green Gables, L.M. Montgomery (she has many more books that are very good)
- Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, Douglas Wiggins
- Nick of Time, Ted Bell
- Books by Horatio Alger
- Books by G.A. Henty
Do you have any books that you would like to recommend? Or do you have a book that you have written that you think I might like? If so, please post in the comments below, or any other comments you would like to make!