J. R. Armstrong was born and raised in southeast Michigan (where Owe It To The Wind takes place). She has a B.A. from Olivet College.
Owe It To The Wind and Truly, Everything the sequel were written in 11 cities on two continents, including a Caribbean Island as the author traveled with her husband who worked in professional baseball.
The two live near Lansing, Michigan and have four children, a dog and four cats.