About Jen McDonald

Jen McDonald is an award-winning author, speaker, and longtime advocate for military spouses—and a master at unpacking a household in under three days while insisting she meant to put the coffee mugs in that cupboard. Over 30+ years as a military spouse, she raised four kids, supported her husband’s Air Force career, and somehow kept a freelance writing career afloat through countless moves and deployment countdowns.

She’s the author of You Are Not Alone: Encouragement for the Heart of a Military Spouse and Milspouse Matters: Sharing Strength Through Our Stories, books offering equal parts encouragement and “been there” wisdom for military families. Her writing has earned multiple awards, including a Gold Medal from the Military Writers Society of America and a Silver Award from Foreword INDIES, proof that scribbling notes on the back of grocery receipts can, in fact, pay off. She’s also the host of the Milspouse Matters podcast, sharing stories and encouragement with military families around the world.

Now happily planted in Texas (and hoping to avoid moving trucks for the foreseeable future), Jen is working on her debut cozy mystery novel and reveling in grandparenting, which comes with all the snuggles and none of the 2 a.m. feedings. She’s perfected the art of writing in the margins of life, whether in the early morning quiet, on the sidelines of a Little League game, or during a suspiciously long coffee break.