Children’s book author Jennifer Hartinger will be signing copies of two of her books on Saturday at Knock Knock Toy Store at 219 Main Street, saying her books are a tribute to her grandmother and they harken back to an earlier era.
Although Hartinger works as a full-time sales representative for the The Catalina Islander newspaper, she is a graduate of the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and uses her ability to write to heal. “I am fortunate that I can heal myself through writing so when my last living grandmother passed away it didn’t hit me until a few months later and A Girl Named Sam was born during those writing sessions,” she said. Five years later she was published. “Sam was written as a tribute to my grandmothers’ and their message to me growing up. A Boy Named Bill was written during the process of getting Sam published as a reminder to myself to appreciate each-and-every day no matter how hard it might be,” she said.
“I grew up in a time when you walked yourself to school. If you wanted to see your friends, you rode your bike to their house. If you were bored in class, you passed notes. In passing notes, I learned how to write,” says Hartinger.
In addition to writing children’s books, Hartinger’s online jokes are becoming quite popular. “I’m dyslexic so to love something that my brain naturally disagrees with is a challenge, so I started writing jokes. In jokes you have the freedom to make mistakes. I’ve always seen things in a common-sense sort of way.”
Hartinger is a graduate of Arizona State University with a BA in journalism. “I was the local sports caster for ASU and thought I had it all figured out. I was offered a job during that time at a well-known sports station and was packed ready to go when I got the call the job was no longer mine,” she says.
“Some of my favorite days are signing books for new readers and I hope you can join me this Saturday at Knock-Knock Toy Store at 219 Main St. Seal Beach, where I’ll be signing my books A Girl Named Sam and A Boy Named Bill from 1-3 p.m.”
