Bio: A childhood home haunted by the Civil War general who built it sparked the historical fiction of J. L. Abbott. She has completed two post-Civil War espionage novels, The Third Corner and The Bluecoat Affair, both part of the chilling and riveting Dark Watch series. Two of her historical short stories, "The Devil's Own" and "Blind Fate" were featured in the short story anthology, Twilight Antiquity.

"I've always been drawn to the 'Conflict Between The States,'" J. L. says. "As a child, I pored over written material documenting the life of the Civil War officer who constructed the farm house in which I grew up. I imagined I could see and hear him as I moved through the rooms he inhabited. My attraction to this amazing period in history deepened as I matured. Today, I'm struck with the fact that the tragedy of that conflict continues to ripple through our culture. The opportunity to highlight aspects of this drama through my fiction thrills me. I'm compelled to write about it.

"I also savor espionage tales. The double life of a spy during the chaos of wartime and the post-war years is an especially rich field for me to cultivate. The characters I create live on the edge. They're tough, vulnerable, and haunted. I like to create plots that twist and turn. My goal is to snare the reader in a web of suspense, subterfuge, and ultimate vindication."

A speech graduate from Northwestern University, J. L. has worked in radio and television, and written promotional and public relations materials. After receiving a Master's Degree in Urban Planning and Policy, she published a series of technical planning reports.

J. L. lives in the Denver foothills of the Rocky Mountains with her husband, Marc, and English cocker spaniel, Kalli. In her spare time, she hikes, writes poetry, and reads voraciously. She and Kalli, a certified therapy dog, have participated in animal-assisted therapy programs with Chenny Troupe, a Chicago-based organization.