About the Author and Book

Jenna Blum is the New York Times and internationally bestselling author of novels Those Who Save Us (a New York Times bestseller, the # 1 bestselling novel in Holland in 2011, and the winner of the 2005 Ribalow Prize, awarded by Hadassah Magazine and adjudged by Elie Wiesel), The Stormchasers (an international bestseller, a Borders Book Club Selection, a feature in French Elle, and a Target Pic) and The Lost Family (a Target Pick and received starred reviews from all four trades: Kirkus, Publisher’s Weekly, Booklist, and Library Journal), as well as the novella “The Lucky One” in the anthology Grand Central. Jenna is also one of Oprah’s Top 30 Women Writers and CEO/ CoFounder of literary social media company A Mighty Blaze.

Jenna is based in Boston, where she teaches master novel and marketing workshops for Grub Street Writers, where she has been an instructor for over 20 years. Jenna earned her B.A. in English at Kenyon College and her M.A. in Creative Writing at Boston University, where she was the fiction editor for AGNI Literary Magazine and taught creative writing and journalism. The daughter of a CBS newswriter and producer, Jenna interviewed Holocaust survivors for the Steven Spielberg Survivors of the Shoah Visual History Foundation from 1993-1997.

For anyone who has ever loved a dog, Woodrow on the Bench, Jenna’s first memoir, pays tribute to her beloved black Lab, Woodrow, that recalls the last six months of his life and the ways in which he taught her to live. Since she adopted him as a puppy fifteen years earlier, Jenna Blum and Woodrow have been inseparable. Known to many as “the George Clooney of dogs” for his good looks and charm, Woodrow and his “Mommoo” are fixtures in their Boston neighborhood.

But Woodrow is aging. As he begins to fail, the true nature of his extraordinary relationship with Jenna is revealed. Jenna may be the dog parent, but it is Woodrow, with his amazing personality and trusting nature, who has much to teach her. A divorcée who has experienced her share of sadness and loss, Jenna discovers, over the months she spends caring for her ailing dog, what it is to be present in the moment, and what it truly means to love. Aided by an amazing group of friends and buoyed by the support of strangers, Jenna and Woodrow navigate these precious final days together with kindness, humor, and grace. Their unforgettable love story will reaffirm your belief in kindness, break your heart, and leave your spirit soaring.

Registration

Registration for this event is not required, as it is free and open to the public. More information is available through the Julian Public Library. Tickets below are to purchase a copy of Woodrow on the Bench to be delivered at the event for signing.