Author’s Statement:

“My mother is a psychotherapist, my ex-stepdad was a psychologist - both brilliant, complicated people. Dinner conversation was personality disorders, case studies, all things dysfunctional. Following suit, I became a counselor for over 20 years. I then became a mom, wrote and illustrated gift books, fell in love with cooking, survived the death of my daughter, beat cancer, birthed a healthy son, enjoyed success as an artist, restored Hollywood mansions, and then built my own restaurant in Harlem. Now? I write about the brilliant complexities of being human.

I live in New York City with my husband, actor/director Raphael Sbarge. We were recently awarded an Emmy™ for a PBS series we produced. And we have a hyper puppy named Ophelia.” -Jenna

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Jenna is a California native, an illustrator, author, artist, mom, unexpected chef, and Emmy™-Award-winning producer/writer. In 2024, she won an Emmy™ for 10 DAYS IN WATTS, a PBS series she produced with her husband, actor/director Raphael Sbarge (ABC’s Once Upon a Time, Risky Business, Murder in the First, The Guardian, etc.). That same series was also awarded 1st place for 2023 Journalism Award from the LA Press Club.

Quick rewind: Jenna’s first two gift books, You Deserve a Happy Birthday and You Deserve a Merry Christmas were published in 2003 by Andrews McMeel Publishing, building on Jenna’s whimsical greeting card line. In 2005, Leisure Arts published Jenna’s Studio, a book of décor projects. Later that year, Jenna’s scrapbooking line was the top-selling collection by Memories in the Making (Time Warner). She also illustrated a series of children’s books, her line of OooLaLa Girls designs were turned into products including purses, shoes, spa stuff, wall art, etc… From there, Jenna’s art was licensed for products sold in Bloomingdales, Target and retailers around the world.

In 2011, an online streaming platform, EVOX Television, produced and aired Jenna’s fanciful décor projects after Jenna logged over 2 million YouTube views of her vintage door wreath design.

In 2015, a newbie to Harlem, Jenna turned her creative skills toward the food industry and opened Hamilton’s. It was a surprise success and remained open until 2019, when restaurants were shuttered due to Covid 19. During lockdown, Jenna returned to writing. Her dangerously funny chef’s memoir resulted.

Jenna’s second novel, HIS EFFING LIES, is about sex, betrayal, and the eternally f*cked-up condition known as love.