An only child growing up in a small town in western Canada, N. J. started making up stories when she was very young, and soon after discovered that books were going to be her best friends.
When she was ten, she discovered Trixie Beldon and other girl detectives, and a few years later moved on to the mysteries of Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers, Georgette Heyer, Margery Allingham, Ngaio Marsh, John Creasey, and Erle Stanley Gardner.
She continues to prefer reading mysteries to any other style of books, and has a long list of favorite modern authors.
