On December 3, 1970, in an enormous hospital named Sacred Heart in Pensacola, Florida, a blonde haired, blue eyed baby girl came into the world. Her mother and father were overjoyed with the life they had created. Over the next ten years, she remained in Pensacola. Sadly, like many marriages today, her mother and father’s marriage ended in divorce. The divorce led to her mother getting remarried and moving her and her younger brother to Athens, Alabama. The move was when her personality began to take shape. The next 35 years would consist of diverse life altering events for her, which made her into the person she is today. Allow me to introduce myself to everyone. I am J.K. Cook, author of Justice by Deception. My life may have begun in Pensacola, Florida, but the majority of my life has been spent in Athens, Alabama. I am a widow to a long-time Correctional Officer, who was care-free and fun-loving – my complete opposite. That is why everything about US worked. I am also the mother of a gorgeous, hard-working, smart son and a beautiful, smart daughter.

I returned to college, after approximately two decades. I am proud to say that I am a Phi Theta Kappa member, and I earned a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) certificate from Calhoun Community College in 1993. I had originally started out taking classes to earn a Registered Nurse (RN) degree; however, the way Calhoun offered the nursing program back then was much different than now. In addition to this, I had two small children and was in the process of a divorce myself, when my name was finally called for the RN program. Due to these reasons, I was unable to complete my degree at that time. I spent over twenty years just trying to make a living as an LPN, but I continued to have a yearning to complete what I started. I am thrilled to finally be able to say I completed my journey to becoming an RN in May 2016 through Snead State Community College while simultaneously working toward obtaining my Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) through the University of North Alabama. I completed the BSN program in the Summer of 2017. I am not getting any younger; I have places to go, things to do, and points to prove. Ultimately, I plan to use my education and knowledge of the mental health world, as well as the knowledge I gained of the judicial system to bring about change in small-town legal systems across the nation, especially those who continue to use the “Good Ole Boy” mentality of providing justice. I am passionate about the injustices currently presiding in our justice system in regards to criminal law, mental health issues, and the infamous “War on Drugs.”

I am an avid “Do It Yourself” type of person. I enjoy making and creating anything and everything, as well as playing my Alto Saxophone. I also enjoy sewing and crafting, when time allows me to be creative—which is pretty limited these days. Writing, truth, morals, integrity, values, and the current state of the American Justice System are all things I am extremely passionate about; Justice by Deception is a direct reflection of that.

Unfortunately for me, my favorite foods are “Good-Old-Fashioned” fattening foods made in the South. My favorite all time movie is Dirty Dancing, and I enjoy watching regular programs such as Criminal Minds, The Voice, and Forensic Files when I am not writing, researching, working, or doing school work. With too many cats, dogs, and fish at home, I often joke I run a not-for-profit animal shelter.

Finally, I am a huge advocate of quotes and poems about family and life in general.  I have learned through many hard life experiences there are certain ways one must live his or her life, so I would like to leave my readers with a thought to ponder on.

“Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass. . .  It’s about learning to dance in the rain!”

—–Vivian Greene.