Jess Lynn is a lover of stories, wearer of flower crowns, and still believes in magic. She writes for the girl who never grew up, for the one wondering if hope is a joke (she’s been there too), and the one who sees wonder in the world.
She writes for people who aren’t afraid to look for hope in strange places–haunted woods, myths, and family secrets. She finds inspiration in the truth that every thing, every person, every happenstance and history has its own story.
She sees her work as an intersection of history, myth, and magic.
When her head’s not stuck in a book or following rabbit trails of possible plot lines, she’s busy building a life with her husband, mothering and homeschooling their four children (9 - 16), and ever so slowly renovating their 1917 farmhouse in South Carolina.
“It takes a great deal of courage to see the world in all its tainted glory, and still love it.”
Between Worlds
Jess Lynn is a bit of a sojourner and sometimes a reluctant one. Having grown-up in the Marine Corps, her childhood was formed by the different states and countries she lived and visited, inspiring a lifelong wanderlust. She’s a biracial Native American (Lumbee), a creedal Christian (and a pastor’s wife), home educator, and creative mom–meaning she often finds herself in the spaces between worlds. Never quite fitting in. Her characters often find themselves there too…a concoction of longing, becoming, and sojourning.
Favorite Books
A Room with a View, E. M. Forster
Mexican Gothic, Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Daughter of the Forest, Juliet Marillier
Garden Spells, Sarah Addison Allen
My always read authors: Susanna Kearsley, Kate Forsyth, Emily Henry, Katherine Center, Chloe Liese, Sarah Addison Allen, Rebecca Ross, T. Kingfisher, Cherie Dimaline, Silvia Moreno-Garcia
On Repeat…
Hozier, Roo Panes, George Ezra, Taylor Swift, The Oh Hellos, Damien Kiely, Emily Scott Robinson, The Wailin’ Jennys, Rhiannon Giddens
I like my music folky with a bit of pop and story.
But I can play a mean game of Name That Tune when it comes to the 90s and early 2000s.
In the Garden
I blame The Secret Garden….always obsessed with flowers. I plant without planning, because there’s always room for more beauty in the world.
And the bees and butterflies don’t mind.
Random Facts
- I have a spot at the river where no one goes - I had a passport by the age of 1 - In 2020, I made a flower crown every month - I hate cooking, but love to bake - I want to be a mermaid when I grow up - I played the bass guitar in high school - I find fairy tale criticism & the use of myth & folklore in pyschology fascinating - I have a thing with closet doors. They must be closed. Otherwise, you never know what you’ll let in -