Janie Lynn Panagopoulos, historian, author, lecturer has worked in the field of historical research, interpretation and writing for thirty-three years. Originally working in advertising and as a freelance writer for newspapers and magazines, Panagopoulos has had over 1,000 articles published (1974-1992). She also syndicated a history series that ran in fourteen Midwest newspapers (1985-1987).

Ms. Panagopoulos has taught courses in theater arts and playwriting (1986-1990) and has had several of her plays produced. She has also taught writing courses and workshops at colleges and schools throughout the United States. Ms Panagopoulos served as an editor for Health Horizon magazine (1988-1990), and today she works with serious minded writing students from around the world as a writing mentor on the Internet and with Distant Learning programs.

In 1989, Panagopoulos was a National Historical Grant recipient which ignited her passion for historical research. In 1993, her first documentary historical fiction novel, Traders in Time was published by River Road Publications, a scholastic publishing house. Other novels followed including: Journey Back to Lumberjack Camp (1994), Erie Trail West (1996), North to Iron Country(1997), Little Ship Under Full Sail (1999), Train to Midnight (2001), Runes of Isle Royale (2003), Calling the Griffin (2004), Madame Cadillac’s Ghost (2005), A Place Called Home (2000), Castle At the Straits (2003) , Mark of the Bear Claw (2006), and A Faraway Home: An Orphan Train Story (2007). Currently, Janie is working on another book in the Dream Quest series and continuing her research concerning ancient China and its connection with the migration of Native Americans into North America.

In the year 2000, Ms. Panagopoulos was awarded the prestigious “Michigan Authors Award”. In 2001, she received the coveted “Read Michigan Award” granted by Michigan’s Governor Engler and Michigan’s Secretary of State Candace Miller, two of her books have also won the notable “Student Choice Award”. In November 2008, the National Council for Geographic Education, Washington D. C. , awarded Ms Panagopoulos’ book, A Faraway Home: An Orphan Train Story the prestigious “GEM Award” (Geographic Excellence in Media). This was the first time in the organization’s 93 year history that a work of fiction has received this award. In June 2009, Ms Panagopoulos was awarded the “Content Service Provider’s Honorable Mention Award” for her videoconferencing and Distant Learning programs.

In Ms. Panagopoulos’ historical research, she has canoed over 3,800 miles on the Great Lakes and along the Canadian waterways, studied and lived with traditional Native Americans, followed the Erie Canal from Albany to Buffalo, researched lumber and mining camps throughout the United States, participated in archaeological digs, dog-sled, snowshoe, and traveled by wagon train, in costume, across the state of Wisconsin as a historian, today she continues to travel the trails of history and exploration in North America and Europe in search of our American roots. Ms. Panagopoulos, generally, spends three-five years or more on historical research per project and takes her job as a historian seriously.

Janie Lynn Panagopoulos is a lifetime member of Girl Scouts and lives the life of an academic, historical explorer and researcher, learning about the history of our nation, its diverse cultural background, and the stories of our ancestors.

In the last sixteen years, Ms Panagopoulos has traveled on book tour and spoken extensively throughout the United Stated to students and educators sharing with them her passion for historical research and adventures that celebrate the history of America.

Currently, Ms. Panagopoulos visits schools throughout North America via Videoconferencing, conducting writing workshops and classroom visits through the Distant Learning and A.S.K. Programs. She also has several educational blog sites, some containing podcasts, to compliment the reading experience of her books.

Ms. Panagopoulos lives in Virginia with her husband, Dennis.