Janice Phelps Williams has enjoyed a nearly lifelong involvement in art and writing. Currently, she paints, writes, and sometimes designs books. She is working on an abstract series known as Memory Circles (begun in 2017) and hopes to secure space for an exhibit in the not-too-distant future. 

 

When not painting, Janice is writing. A middle grade novel, Emmeline Grant: Finding Pletonia, is nearly complete and it has been a labor of love working on the dozens of illustrations that will give readers a glimpse into Pletonia, a fantastic, imaginary country.  

 

Over 16 years as a book producer and publisher, Janice brought more than 250 books to the marketplace, several of them award winners or finalists. Working on all aspects of nonfiction and fiction development (including editing, cover design, interior layout, illustration, and marketing), Janice has worked with writers throughout North America and England. You can see her list of book projects at this link. In 2016 and 2017, she wanted to share her love of drawing with others and created two adult coloring books.

 

Janice worked as production editor for a major trade distributor and as community writer for a subsidiary of the Times Publishing Company (St. Petersburg, FL). She was also, for three years, an art teacher for grades one through twelve. She taught seminars in watercolor, altered books, and artist trading cards and has spoken at literary events and elementary schools.

 

Janice received a BFA in Studio Art from Kent State University and attended the Kent–Blossom Summer Art Program for two summers. She took post graduate classes at the University of South Florida. She is married to Mark Van Aken Williams, also a writer, and they make their home in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. Mark’s book, The Prophet of Sorrow, was a finalist in Foreword’s Book of the Year Awards. Prior to moving to Cleveland, they lived in Harbor Springs, Michigan, where Janice spent five years creating oil pastels of the beautiful landscape above the 45th parallel and Mark wrote The Prophet of Sorrow and The Burlesque of Graceless Acting.

 

Connect with Janice on Facebook or Instagram.  Contact her to receive updates on the publication of Emmeline Grant: Finding Pletonia.