Janet Benton

Janet Benton began writing early and has worked hard to give books a central place in her life. She grew up in a small town in Connecticut and skipped eighth grade to travel the world with her working-artist mother. Her family history has made her highly aware of the power of the mother-infant bond and of the need to stand up for outcasts. She holds an M.F.A. in English/fiction writing from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and a B. A. in religious studies from Oberlin College. After working at magazines, newspapers, and publishers and teaching writing at four universities, she began The Word Studio (www.thewordstudio.us) to offer workshops and mentoring to writers. She's also a mother, wife, and singer. Click here to read an interview with her in Publisher's Weekly, March 2017, called "Mothers of the Past: PW Talks with Janet Benton."