Mary James

A master of fiction for young adult, middle-grade, and even adult readers, the authors known as Mary James, M. E. Kerr, Ann Aldrich, M.J. Meaker, and Vin Packer were all born Marijane Meaker in 1927. “The idea of a pen name always fascinated me,” she explains, “because it is your only chance to name yourself. Sometimes when I am giving writing workshops for kids, I get them to name themselves. I think everybody likes disguises.”James continues to write for all age groups, on all subjects, in a signature style that combines realism and topicality with humor and sensitivity.