Jenny O'Connell is an accomplished author who has published under the name Jennifer O'Connell. Although she hasn't been called Jenny in years, she chose this name for her teen books as it reminds her of her high school days. Jenny shares a lot in common with Vanessa, the main character in PLAN B. Like Vanessa, Jenny attended a small private school and was mildly obsessed with college from a young age, inspired by a character who attended Dartmouth in a book she read. Unlike Vanessa, Jenny's brother was not a TV star. In THE BOOK OF LUKE, Emily, another character, creates a 'How To' guide for guys, something Jenny humorously admits she couldn't do herself.

Jenny O'Connell has written 11 books: 5 young adult books, 4 women's fiction books, 1 essay compilation, and 1 non-fiction book co-authored with her best friend. She has two cats that she adores. Jenny lived in Chicago for 15 years and has been residing outside Boston for 12 years. She attended one of the seven all-women's sister schools, Smith College, in Massachusetts, which ranks 45th in land size.