Author Spotlight

Jeffrey Alan John

My writing has evolved from my early, valuable experiences as a daily newspaper reporter and then editor of a motorcycle magazine, through time as a historical society public relations editor and writer, and on to thirty challenging years of academic work. This widely varying body of work has advanced my craft by sharpening brevity, clarity, and attention to audience.

The genesis of The Great Serpent Mound is a great irony. I was asked to write this book about Serpent Mound to fill a museum shop’s dire need for an up-to-date comprehensive book on the subject. However, organizational debates have since delayed its acquisition in the museum. Meanwhile, my book has received awards and honors that have made it obviously quite acceptable for the public.

At the moment, I am working on a children’s book for my grandson.

I have always preached a need for good writing, regardless of the literary genre and the amount of work needed to make it good writing. As an academic, I argued vigorously for clear reports free of jargon and convoluted structure. Further, I maintain that history offers more opportunity for interesting and exciting writing than fiction. Indeed, many successful fictions originated with nonfiction experiences. For example, my nonfiction book about the murder of a police officer describes that action and courtroom drama; the current work about Serpent Mound delves into subjects ranging from ancient cultures to modern mysticism.

The US Review of Books has opened my work to new audiences and markets.

About the Author: Jeffrey Alan John, Ph.D., experienced journalism as a daily newspaper reporter, magazine editor, and historical society public relations writer, and then he taught college journalism for three decades. He is co-author with the late Frank L. Johnson of the true-crime tale A Bird in Your Hand: A story of ambiguous justice; author of the science fiction Lab Rats Can’t Say No: a story in the future; and histories Progressives and Prison Labor: Rebuilding Ohio’s National Road During World War I, and The Great Serpent Mound, An Ancient Ohio Mystery. He and his wife Karin Avila-John live in Dayton, Ohio.