Jan Marshall was born in Warwickshire, England. She attended the University of Birmingham where she read English Literature and Psychology and graduated with an Honours degree. As a post graduate she trained and qualified as a counsellor specialising in bereavement. She subsequently pursued a career in teaching for ten years becoming a pastoral counsellor for her students.

She went on to run her own business before becoming a senior manager for a large corporate estate agency. From there she moved on to several other leading estate agencies at senior management level.

In 1996 Jan was diagnosed with a very rare form of primary bone Cancer in her Tibia, Chondrosarcoma (grade1). After limb salvaging surgery that removed the tumour with wide margins and the extensive physiotherapy that followed, she continues to live a full and active life. Five years later she had further surgery to strengthen the tibia with bone cement and is still a NERD today (no evidence of recurring disease).

Jan is currently the UK co-moderator of a world wide Chondrosarcoma support group. The group offers advice and support to those with Chondrosarcoma, and their relatives and friends.

She currently lives in Sidmouth, Devon.

Jan's first novel, "A Curious State of Affairs" was written in 2005 and published in 2006 by Exposure Publishing.