Jen Waldo lives in Marble Falls, Texas, west of Austin, and south of the HWY 281 bridge that crosses the Colorado River. Her favorite things to do are write, make quilts, play Mahjong, and travel.

Jen started writing years ago when, living in Cairo, she had difficulty finding satisfactory reading material. If she wanted something interesting to read, she was going to have to write it herself. Finding pleasure and power in the process of creating, she’s been hooked ever since. She has earned an MFA, has had two novels published, and has established a blog on her website, jenwaldo.com.
Jen’s debut novel Old Buildings in North Texas (Arcadia Books) was published in 2016 and her second book Why Stuff Matters (Arcadia Books) has just been published. Both books are set in the pan handle of Texas.
Having lived in seven countries over a thirty-year period, she’s often asked why, with her knowledge of international cultures and locations, she places her novels in a stark dry town in North Texas. It’s because it’s the place she knows best— the dusty gusts, the flat earth, the square squat houses, the late-summer thunderstorms. The people are stocky, stubborn, religious, big-hearted, abhorrent toward change, and suspicious of success. She’s grateful to Amarillo for providing colorful characters and a background of relentless whistling wind.