(You can also read
an
interview with Jamie.)
Jamie was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,
in 1960. Her father, Monte Turner, was a salesman for Sterling
Bolt and her mother,
Iaulanda Miller
Downey, had an
in-home business making felt Christmas tree ornament
dolls for mail order and for companies such as Marshall Field's
in Chicago, and Frederick Nelson's in Seattle. You might say
that for many years, it was Christmas year-round at the Turner
home.
In 1969, the Turners moved to Ohio so Jamie's
father could be closer to his territory and spend more time at
home. Always an avid reader and crafter, she also began twirling
a baton and belonged to several corps including, The Top Hat Strutters,
Pam's Marching Dolls, and the Niles Scot-Eres. With the Scot-Eres
Jamie won over 60 personal awards and traveled with the corp all
over the world.
After a lengthy illness, Jamie's father died
in 1975. Jamie continued school and graduated from Howland High
School in 1978 as a business office major. She studied accounting
for a time at the Warren Business School and worked full time for
an insurance agency until she married her husband Tim Saloff in
1979. She has also worked as a department store clerk, a jewelry
sales associate, and as a Kelly Girl.
Following her husband's job
opportunities, the couple moved to Erie, PA, in 1982. Their first
son, Matthew, was born in 1983. Then, in 1985, Jamie was diagnosed
with cancer. Declared sterile by her doctors, Jamie surprised her
doctors when just one month after her last radiation treatment
she discovered she was pregnant. Mark, considered their miracle
baby, was born seven and a half weeks early in May of 1986. Both
boys, who are homeschool graduates, are grown and still living
at home.
Due to her cancer experience, Jamie's life
soon took on a new perspective. With the death of her mother in
1990, she began writing her first book on healing, but never found
a publisher. In the meantime, she wrote two other books, The
Collector's Encyclopedia of Cowan Pottery (Collector
Books, 1993), and The Publishing Center: How
to Create a Successful Publishing Center in Your School, Church,
or Community Group (Beeline
Books, 1996). Her current book, Transformational Healing,
was published in 2005 (Sent Books).
A devoted writer, Jamie has been a member
and (former) board member of the Pennwriters
Organization since 1993. The organization presented
her with their highest award, Meritorious Service in 2006.
Jamie is also
a Dale Carnegie Training graduate and "GA" (Graduate
Assistant).
Always having a love for electronic gadgets
and computers, Jamie (who's first computer was a Commodore 64—but
who now is a devoted Mac fan) began exploring the Internet soon
after its public inception. She created her first web page when
it was still cool to have jagged words on a plain page. Expanding
her knowledge, and combined with her love of writing, she formed
her own in-home business where she now serves as consultant, formatter,
and guide to authors across the country who want to self-publish
their books via Print on Demand. (See: PodBookDesigns.com)
Over the years, Jamie has hosted workshops,
organized conferences, and given talks on a variety of topics,
always with the intention of helping others improve their lives.
She managed an all-volunteer elementary school writing and publishing
center where, with the help of 100 parent volunteers, they annually
produced over 500 child-written books each year. (For this, she
won a PEPPer Award.) When not working, traveling, or building web
pages, she enjoys needle crafts, beading and jewelry making, golf,
bowling, antiques (Moderne and Art Deco), hockey, and all things
Mac. (She desperately wants an iPhone!) She is a die-hard Project
Runway fan. (For more of her favorites, visit her MySpace page.)
Jamie, her husband, two sons, and three cats
currently live south of Erie, PA on a quiet lake. They sorely miss
their twenty-year companion, a wheaten Carin terrier named Henry.
They spend much of their summers in Oakfield, NY (about half way
between Rochester and Buffalo).
Jamie is currently working on a new
book for her Transformational
Healing Focus Series, Transform Your Weight.
