J L Williams (Janine) was born in Suva, Fiji. She lived in England before moving to New Zealand, where she grew up in Whanganui, Dunedin, Levin, and Auckland. She went to Hillary College in Auckland, where she was immersed in a multi-cultural environment and began learning Te Reo Māori. After university she worked in insurance and then left work to raise her family of five children. Janine has also worked as a note-taker for Deaf tertiary students, which gave her an understanding of the challenges faced by young people with hearing loss, and as a potter with her own studio. She now lives with her husband in rural Northland where she has a small orchard business and writes for children.

Janine is interested in New Zealand history and the families we belong to. Janine likes to encourage children and young people to love books and reading, and to become writers themselves.