J.K. Palmer
Jamie Kay Palmer (JK) is a Sturgeon Bay resident and a Door County author of four children’s books, and her debut historical novel, Into the Storm. Her children’s books are: The House that Moved, Elwood the Moose, Gladys Sings, and Sweet Dreams from Door County. Palmer loves to create. Every time she writes a book, she can feel herself disappearing into the pages, living the story through her characters, whether fictional or true to life. She experiences their joys as well as their sorrows as she writes the words that shape their lives; and for a while she escapes to a world of her own bidding.
​
Palmers holds a master’s degree in psychology. Her background influences her writing, as she creatively weaves concepts of courage, self-acceptance, and the power of love into everything she writes.
Children's
Gladys Sings
2014, Timberhouse Publishing
​
Most things are possible if we only dare to imagine.
Gladys Sings is the story of a hen who has a very big imagination. And even though she meets with the disapproval of the other hens, she continues to pursue her rather odd dream, by chicken standards, of one day becoming an opera singer.
With the love and support of her community, her courage and confidence grows...
and Gladys achieves more than she ever thought possible.
Suitable for ages 3-8. Available on Amazon
Elwood the Moose
2019, Timberhouse Publishing
​
Sometimes the simple things in life end up becoming the most treasured.
Elwood the Moose is the story of a young moose who leaves his family and friends for a life of independence and adventure in the great wilderness. Only after many perilous encounters does he discover that the best adventures in life are the ones we have with those we love.
Suitable for ages 3-8 Available on Amazon
The House That Moved-
A Door County Adventure
2021, Timberhouse Publishing
Change doesn't have to be scary. Many times it holds secret delights and magical moments.
The House that Moved is the story of a family that loved their house and the house that loved them right back. Their devotion to one another was so strong that not even a separation would keep them apart. Suitable for ages 2-8. Available through the author's facebook page and by contacting her at Timberhousedc@yahoo.com
Sweet Dreams From Door County
2024, Timberhouse Publishing
This delightful book showcases seven of Palmer’s unique stories designed for young readers ages six to eleven and promises to spark imagination and inspire each to embark on an unforgettable adventure. In Sweet Dreams From Door County readers will meet all of Palmer’s favorite characters, from a curious moose to a chicken that sings; a boy with magic boots, a cave dweller wannabe, a water droplet on a long journey, an ambitious young Maple tree, and a house that longs for its lost family. Each tale weaves concepts of friendship, belief in self, care for the environment, courage, and the value of love and community.
With Palmer’s gift of prose and enchanting illustrations by Emily Purdy and Dezaray LeRoy, graduates from Southern Door High School, Sweet Dreams From Door County transports children to a whimsical world where anything is possible and every page is brimming with new adventures.
Into The Storm
2025, Timberhouse Publishing
​
Once the most talked-about tragedy on the waters of Green Bay, this nearly forgotten story is powerfully retold in Palmer’s historical novel, ‘Into the Storm.’ Set against the backdrop of World War II-era Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, the book recounts the life,
struggles, and successes of the prominent shipbuilding family of Leathem D. Smith. On June 23rd , 1946, after a spirited regatta in Menominee, Michigan, Smith’s sailboat, Half Moon, is caught in a violent storm while crossing the waters of Green Bay towards
home. Only his teenage daughter, Patsy, survives—defying nature and all odds. Battling hurricane-force winds, frigid water, and relentless waves, she swims for an astonishing 6.5 hours through the darkness to reach safety. Into the Storm is an emotionally
powerful narrative of one family’s rise and fall, and one young woman’s extraordinary will to live.
Other Works
Former columnist for: Kane County Chronical, and the Door County Advocate
Manuscripts: Little Maple, Dudley Droplet, The Happy Prince
Song Lyrics: "My Door County Home"
Currently working on: Biographical novel The Half Moon- The life and Legacy of Leathem D. Smith
​