Winter Chill

American author Joanne Fluke has written several works using pen names. Her given, actual name, is Joanne Gibson Fischmann, born in 1943 in Swanvile, Minnesota. Under pen name, Joanne Fluke, she is most recognized for her mystery series, Hannah Swensen, based around a small town bakery. Five Hallmark Channel movies have been made from Fluke's Swensen series. She has written under the other pseudonyms of John Fischer, R. J. Fischer, Jo Gibson, Chris Hunter, Gina Jackson and Kathryn Kirkwood.

Fluke attended St. Cloud State University, and earned a B.A. Degree in psychology in 1973 from California State University. She had several second jobs while she worked at building her writing career, but her most important titles were mother, wife and homemaker. She lives in Southern California with her television writer husband, Ruel E. Fischmann, her children and step-children.