Jean C. Keating

      Jean holds degrees in Physics, Mathematics and Information Systems. As an aeronautical engineer with NASA and later Research Coordinator for Virginia's higher education coordinating board, she authored more than 50 scientific and data management reports and studies. She retired in 1998 after 35 years of government service and turned her hand to writing about the animal companions that share her life. She published her first work of fiction, Amorous Accident: A Dog's Eye View of Murder in 1999. A member of Dog Writers Association of America, she followed the mystery with short stories about her dogs in "Pap"pourri and Chesapeake Style Magazine. In November of 2000, she published an illustrated collection of pet stories entitled Pawprints on My Heart in collaboration with life-long friend and professional artist, Bev Abbott.

      Pawprints On My Heart was a finalist for the Maxwell award for Best Dog Fiction of 2001. Her latest book, entitled Paw Prints Through The Years and also enhanced by color art work by Bev Abbott, chronicles her love affair with six generations of Papillons over more than two decades. This new book has been nominated for several regional and national awards including the Library of Virginia Literary Award for best fiction. The immediate past president of the Chesapeake Bay Writers, Jean currently combines work on her fourth book with writing a monthly column entitled Animal Antics for Chesapeake Style Magazine. She lives in Williamsburg, Virginia with an ever changing number of show papillons, rescues, two cats and Sherlock Bones who is currently carrying on the literary tradition at Astra by serving as a book reviewer.