Jane Byers lives with her wife and two children in Nelson, British Columbia. She writes about human resilience in the context of raising children, lesbian and gay issues, and health and safety in the workplace. She has worked as an ergonomist and vocational rehabilitation consultant for many years and is passionate about facilitating resilience in ill and injured workers. She has had poems, essays and short fiction published in a variety of books and literary magazines in Canada, the US, and the UK, including Grain, Rattle, Descant, the Antigonish Review, the Canadian Journal of Hockey Literature, Our Times, Poetry in Transit and Best Canadian Poetry 2014. Her first book of poetry, Steeling Effects, was published by Caitlin Press in 2014. Her latest book of poetry is Acquired Community.

"“Small Courage is an intimate, original, and profoundly generous act of immense courage. Thank you Jane Byers for letting readers into your life so we can more clearly see and understand our own. An insightful, big-hearted book full of parenting wisdom.” —Angie Abdou, author of Home Ice: Reflections of a Reluctant Hockey Mom

“Reading Small Courage, I realized that the politically correct messaging intended to de-stigmatize adoption had also erased the unique challenges and triumphs of forming family in this way. Byers undramatically shares her complex experiences, offering an intimate view of a fierce, at times gruelling, but ultimately resilient and joyful brand of love. By providing a deeper understanding and appreciation of the adoption journey, she enables us to more clearly see and honour adoptive families. As if that weren’t a sizeable enough contribution, Byers also reveals how coming out unexpectedly prepared her for the adoption process. This memoir shifted my perceptions in the way only compassionate and vulnerable writing can.” —Monica Meneghetti, Lambda Literary finalist and award-winning author of What the Mouth Wants"