Jenni Kaye grew up reading books about big red dogs, cats with hats, and soups made of stone. Now she shares these tales with her daughter and son. Kaye, known to the world as J.K. Mahal,  is a graduate of Chula Vista Performing Arts High School and Loyola Marymount University. 

She started her writing career covering the federal and county government beat for the Key West Citizen in Key West, Fla. At 22, she became the editor of Paradise this Week, a stand-alone entertainment section for the Citizen. After a stint as the paper's features editor, she moved on to Times Community News, part of the Los Angeles Times Group, as a page designer. 

It was while working at TCN that Kaye discovered her love of illustration. Working on page after page of daily print gave her the confidence to try creating designs of her own. 

Kaye became the city editor for the Huntington Beach Independent before joining the staff of the Newport Beach/Costa Mesa Daily Pilot as its features editor. She had a brief foray into advertising, writing web copy for Neutrogena as part of Envision Group. The Orange County Performing Arts Center -- now Segerstrom Center for the Arts -- was her next stop, where, as Center publicist, she helped open a 2,000-seat concert hall.

Kaye has written freelance for publications including the San Diego Union-Tribune and Florida Keys Magazine. All Hallow's ABC is her first book.

These days, Kaye lives on a hill in Santa Cruz with her husband, children, cat, dog, four fish (one of whom is named Bob) and a smattering of plants. Visit her at www.jennikaye.com.