Pricilla Jean "P.J." Cowan is an American author best known for her work in children's literature. Born Pricilla Jean Ball on December 2, 1933, in a log cabin in Rio Grande County, Colorado, in the Colorado mountains, she is the author of 15 books which are available worldwide. Her works include: The Adventures of Neddy and Teddy Fairy, What Do You Feed an Imaginary Dragon? and PJ's Bedtime Stories. Her first book, Michael O'Brian and the Magic Hat was released in 2008. Early life The 1930s were depression years, and there was no money for books. Cowan's mother would make up stories to entertain her two daughters. From age three until age nine, Cowan lived at Sacred Heart Orphanage and Boarding School on Sprague Street in Pueblo, Colorado, where she struggled with dyslexia, which prevented her from being able to read. As the nuns read to the class, she memorized the stories she liked until she knew them by heart. These experiences gave her a lasting love of the art of storytelling. Pricilla attended Granite High School in Salt Lake City. In her senior year she met William Loveland. they were married in 1952 in Salt Lake City. They had two children, Jolene Marie and Michael Bruce Loveland. They divorced in 1955. She later married Ralph Colvin in Portland Oregon. they had five sons. Kelly James, Ralph Clifford, Steven Daniel, Robert Henry, and Thomas Harrison Colvin. In 1977, she met and married Vernon Dale Cowan; they celebrated their 40th year in March 2017. Vernon died of Alzheimers on December 11, 2018. PJ currently resides at the Legacy Retirement residence in South Jordon, Utah, where she continues to write her stories, and donate her books. Cowan has 11 grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren. The grandchildren range in age from 3 months to 19 years. The “greats” are widely scattered, so PJ and husband Vernon don’t see them often. The stories are her way of giving them a great grannies advice and council. It is her wish that they pass the books on to their own children. Writing career Cowan's writing began in earnest at age 72. In the beginning, she self-published on Lulu.com and while working with them met LK Gardner-Griffie, who went on to become her mentor. Gardner-Griffie is now a celebrated two-time winner of the teen awards for her series Misfit McCabe. Cowan published her first book, Michael O'Brian