Jim Parsons is a long time teacher and writer.  He started his writing career writing science fiction as a child and "graduated" to a high school newspaper writing humourous pieces, where he won an award for his comedy writing.   His teaching began in Louisville, Kentucky, in 1970 (junior high social studies and language arts) and he has been at the University of Alberta as a teacher educator in social studies curriculum and instruction, religious and moral education, and research design since 1976.  He has written more than 100 books and 200 articles.  He considers himself a storyteller, who focuses on the positive.  He has five children, three grown (Kerry 40, Jim 37, and Casey 35) and two young girls (Olivia 8 and Gisella 6).  Although he currently lives in Sherwood Park, Alberta, he looks forward to a move with his wife Nikki to Comox in a year - where he hopes to coach others to become published as writers.