K.J. Backer is an American writer, wife, mother, teacher, singer, and world traveler.
K.J. began writing Nav’Aria while substitute teaching and then continued while working as a high school history teacher. In 2017, she “retired” from teaching to begin her journey to motherhood through adoption. She credits her writing inspiration to her miracle daughter, able to relate to her characters and book (with adoption themes) in a new way. The words flowed and Nav’Aria: The Marked Heir released in 2019, followed by Nav’Aria: The Pyre of Tarsin, and the final book, Nav’Aria: The Winged Crescent.
Since then, K.J. went back and taught high school history for one year (’20-’21), and then began writing a new series for a younger audience. One her daughter, friends’ kids, and students could read filled with adventure, geography, funny animal antics, and heartwarming moments of love and friendship along the way. The Legend of Tiny Tails is the first of the Pet Legends series (a collection of animal adventures spanning the globe) released in 2022. The Legend of the Colosseo Cat released in 2023, and the The Legend of the Plaid Parakeet is now available (November 2024).
Besides writing, K.J. loves chatting with readers and encouraging others to chase after their big dreams. She also reads a freakish amount of Fantasy, eats way too much pizza, randomly decided to run a marathon in 2021 and survived, enjoys binge-watching shows with her hubby, cracking jokes with her teenager, and spends far too much time talking to her pets.
Follow Backer on social media (and sign up for her newsletter) to learn more about her exciting Fantasy series, Nav’Aria— intended for mature audiences–and her Middle Grade Pet Adventure Series, Pet Legends, intended for kids ages 8-12, families, and animal lovers everywhere!