R. J. Owens
R.J. Owens has been writing for a lot of years, in one form or another: as a community storyteller corresponding on neighborhood happenings with the Oakland Tribune; as a retail advertising copywriter, forced into economical writing by strict line and character limits; and as an attorney translating legalese into understandable English for a legal treatise. With the encouragement and mentorship of a visionary colleague, he reentered the wonderful world of writing for children, decades removed from his initial pursuit of the calling.
R.J.'s debut picture book, Walk the Walk (Bloomsbury, Fall 2023), was inspired by his interest in the Civil Rights movement and the effect of that era on the daily lives of children. A second unannounced picture book has also just sold.
Originally from Chicago, R.J. moved to California to go to law school. He has trailed dreams in other arenas, too, including digital imaging, illustration, and post-graduate programs in painting. R.J. is an SCBWI member, an avid student of popular music, and he never leaves home without his blues harp.