Panagopoulos, Janie L.
December 17, 1955 -
Place of Birth: Owosso, MI
Place of Principle Residence: Roscoe, IL and Owosso, MI
Biography:
Janie L. Panagopoulos was born to Clyde and Betty Blount in Owosso, MI. Before starting school she could read, and in third grade started writing with the encouragement of her teacher. She attended Jewett’s Women’s College of Business and John Wesley College and graduated with an AA degree. Panagopoulos is a dedicated historian, spending two to five years researching for a writing project. She started out in advertising as a freelance writer for newspapers and magazines, and has had over 1,000 articles published between 1774 and 1992. Besides writing, Panagopoulos has taught courses in theater arts and playwriting, and has had several of her plays produced. After being an editor for Health Horizon Magazine in 1988-1990, Panagopoulos now works with students as an online mentor and workshop leader to develop their writing. In 1993 she published her first documentary historical fiction novel, Traders in Time. Since then she has been granted several awards, including the Michigan Authors Award in 2000 and the Read Michigan Award in 2001. Panagopoulos does much traveling for research, spending much time in Michigan. Panagopoulos lives with her husband, Dennis, in Illinois.
Selected Works:
- Little Ship Under Full Sail: An Adventure in History (1997)
- Train Called Midnight (1999)
- Journey Back to Lumberjack Camp (1994)
- Runes of Isle Royale (2000)
- Madame Cadillac’s Ghost (2004)
- Faraway Home: An Orphan Train Story (2007)
Awards:
- 2000 Michigan Author Award
- Short Story Awards and “Readers Choice” Awards
- 2003 Must Read Award
- 1998 Parent & Teacher Award
Critical Reception:
Panagopoulos is a noted Michigan author, and has received several awards including the prestigious Read Michigan Award that was granted by Michigan’s Governor Engler and Michigan’s Secretary of State Candace Miller. In addition to her awards, Panagopoulos has been nominated for many national, state, and regional awards.
Relevance of Place to Writing:
Spending an enormous amount of time on researching for novels is a part of Panagopoulos’ daily routine. She has traveled widely across the United States, especially Michigan, to study different histories, including canoeing over 3800 miles on the Great Lakes and Canadian waterways, living with traditional Native Americans, participating in archaeological digs, dog-sledding, snow-shoeing, and traveling with a wagon train. Her writing dedicated to Michigan has been acknowledged by receiving the Michigan Authors Award and the Read Michigan Award.