Jo Clayton Books in Order

Jo Clayton is a renowned author, born and raised in Modesto, California, where she honed her storytelling skills alongside her three sisters. Her parents' affectionate nod to Louisa May Alcott's <u>Little Women</u> inspired her namesake. Clayton's academic prowess earned her a Summa Cum Laude graduation from the University of California in 1963. She began her teaching career near Los Angeles before embracing a spiritual calling that led her to join the Sisters of Mount Carmel as a novice in New Orleans, Louisiana, in 1969. After leaving the teaching order, Clayton turned to art, selling her sketches and paintings in Pioneer Square to supplement her income. Eventually, she relocated to Portland, Oregon, in 1983, where she spent the remainder of her life. Clayton's resilience in the face of adversity is evident in her continued writing despite being diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 1996. Her unwavering dedication resulted in the completion of the <u>Drums of Chaos</u> series, with Kevin Andrew Murphy later finishing the final installment.