Jody Gentian Bower

Jody Gentian Bower knew that she was meant to be a writer by the age of 10. She was one of the first graduates of the alternative school The Evergreen State College, majoring in psychobiology and the history of science. After a 30-year career writing scientific and technical materials for other people, she earned a doctorate in Mythological Studies from Pacifica Graduate Institute. She wrote her dissertation on the wandering heroine who can be found in myths and folk tales, novels featuring a female protagonist, and biographies of notable women. This work became the basis for Jane Eyre's Sisters: How Women Live and Write the Heroine's Story.

Over the past decade, Jody has lectured and taught classes on the myths, old and new, that play out in popular culture. A lifelong fan of science fiction and fantasy, she maintains a blog on archetypes and myths in movies and television, which led to her latest book, The Princess Powers Up: Watching the Sleeping Beauties Become Warrior Goddesses. In this book she traces how female protagonists of scifi and fantasy shows have evolved from the passive princess awaiting her prince to powerful queens and, recently, even more powerful goddesses, reflecting society's changing views of women. She argues that this trend has also led to a more inclusive and diverse idea of who can be heroic. In 2022, Jody took on a new role as a contract book editor for New Harbinger Publications.

Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, Jody grew up backpacking, sailing, and skiing. She has sung in choirs since she was 4 years old, is happiest when it is snowing, and is unreasonably fond of German shepherds.