JM Hawks is a husband and wife writing team. Judy and Mark are born-again Christians since early adolescence. Over the years, they have served as overseas missions members, youth leaders, choir members, and Sunday school and Bible study teachers. They are members of First Baptist Church, Daytona Beach, Florida.
Judy earned a bachelors degree from the University of South Florida in English-Creative Writing. She wrote a handbook on effective creative writing used by the university. Graduating summa cum laude with a 3.95 GPA, Judy was the Graduation Speaker in 1981. She has a law degree from the University of Florida, graduating with honors in 1984. After publication of an article she authored, Judy served as Research and Writing Editor on the UF Law Review. For more than twenty years, she practiced law, primarily prosecuting criminal appeals, which included extensive research, technical and persuasive writing, and public speaking.
Having prosecuted death penalty and sexually violent predator cases for many years, Judy brings a keen insight into the working of the mind of the evil and/or psychologically disturbed individual. She understands the horrible and lifelong effect of crimes on the victims, including the victim(s)' family. This has given her an ability to create characters and place them in situations that realistically portray the ongoing battle between good and evil.
Judy's lifelong interest in writing rests prominently in fiction. However, a monumental workload and family duties required that most of her dedication to the craft she so loves be in the legal and technical field. Nonetheless, Judy completed two novels before The Gap Series: Faith: The first was a teenage girl's adventure story; the second was a science fiction story.
JM Hawks (or Mark or Judy individually) have had several magazine articles published. Publishers include: The Lookout; The Encourager (New Zealand); New Urban Living; Grassroots Motorsports; and Volusia Views magazines. Judy was Editor-in-Chief and Artistic Layout Designer for an upscale yacht club newsletter, The Compass, and wrote a regular column and feature articles for the newsletter. Mark was Technical Layout Artist for The Compass. Mark holds a college degree and works in his own business in the fields of computer consultation, website hosting and development, and photography. His prior work experience includes employment with Apple Computer and managing a mail order Porsche auto parts company involved in auto racing. He served as the Photo Editor of the Ohio State University (Marion Campus) newspaper. Mark assists Judy in writing and is primarily responsible for marketing the resulting works.
Mark is the son of a United Methodist minister and the grandson of a Nazarene minister. Participating in mission projects, including church construction in Brazil and medical missions in Haiti, Mark learned firsthand of the often deplorable conditions in which many of the inhabitants of our world live. Mark is a fine vocalist and toured Great Britain and Europe with a youth choir. He is also an accomplished actor, having played significant roles in both general audience and Christian theatre. Mark is outgoing and loves to be part of interesting and "on the edge" projects.
Judy and Mark are members of a Writing Strategies Critiqueshop and the Florida Writers Association and American Christian Writers. Together, Judy and Mark traveled to China, the Bahamas, and Hawaii, meeting peoples of varying cultures and gaining valuable insights into their often quite different religious and societal beliefs.