Jeane received her B.S.N. degree from San Diego State University and worked for many years as a hospice nurse. Proud of her Irish heritage (Sullivan), she takes delight in telling stories and writing poetry. Playing with art and photography are also favored endeavors. Membership in the San Diego Community College Writer’s Workshop helps keep her creative juices flowing as does her participation in the San Diego ACT (The Association of Christian Therapists), the Catholic Cursillo Movement and in her church parish community of St. Therese. Much of her poetry can be read on her blog: www.jeanetaddonio@wordpress. com
Jeane is inspired by everything. Of special interest is her day-to-day discovery that nothing is ordinary. The Tale of R-Qu is her first children’s book, and she has others in the planning stage, along with a collection of her poetry.
It is the sharing of loss and the finding of hope and healing that inspired The Tale of R-Qu.
The artist Rowan Clifford is an eleven year old student in sixth grade in a French immersion program. After school, he studies the martial art of Kung-Fu. Rowan lives with his mother, a teacher, and his older brother, a high school student, who is an avid surfer and rock climber. Rowan’s grandparents are also an important part of his life.
Rowan is happiest when he has pencil or pen in hand and is drawing and painting, a craft he spends hours on perfecting and hopes to make as a profession someday. The Tale of R-Qu is Rowan’s first experience at illustrating a children’s book, but will probably not be his last!
It is Rowan and his family’s long-time friendship with Jeane and their shared experience of loss that brought them together in this unlikely but delightful collaboration of storytelling and multimedia art work. Rowan is the chief illustrator.
