Jan Mark (1943-2006) was a much-respected, award-winning author of books for readers of all ages. From Thunder and Lightnings (1976, Winner of the Carnegie Medal) to The Museum Book (2007), she wrote over 70 books. In addition to providing sublime entertainment, she devoted much of her time to working with teachers, students and emerging writers, for which she is warmly remembered.

This site gathers Jan’s commentaries on her own work and career, as well as testimonies of readers past and future. Your contribution would be so welcome. Please get in touch! To see what’s new on the website, please click here.

And to find out about the author who led me to Jan’s writing over 30 years ago, please visit my new website, www.lettersfromrobin.com.

Jon Appleton

Literary Executor to Jan Mark

“What I really don’t want to do is write the same kind of thing two times running. So after I wrote Hairs in the Palm of the Hand I wrote Aquarius, which is one of the serious ones. But you can be funny and serious at the same time, and you can have much more effect with the serious bits if you’ve made people laugh just before. It brings them up with a jolt and they realize you’re not actually being funny.”

Site content (c) the Estate of Jan Mark. Copyright for essays remains with the contributors. Photo of Jan Mark (c) Claire McNamee.