Jenni's Pennies

Jennifer Martinez uses her gift of storytelling to inspire her young readers and teach them about the power of their voices. She wants each child who reads one of her books to walk away knowing they can dream and are more than enough. Born and raised in San Antonio, TX, to a teen mother and absent father, Jennifer's childhood was challenging. However, her grandmother, Lupe, provided the consistent, unconditional love and unwavering faith she needed. She would be the guidance and support Jennifer required to learn to love, not give up and forgive. As Jennifer grew, her passion for helping others did as well. She wanted to make sure people felt seen and heard. Especially her son Jacob. Her mission was to change her family's narrative and be an example for her son and two sisters. Since 2010, she has been advocating for and empowering brain injury survivors through her work in social services, and during the pandemic, she became a certified life coach. Jennifer launched her company, Jennuine Life Coaching, to help others on their journey. While the story of Jenni's Pennies is fictional, it is rooted in deep childhood trauma. However, Jennifer has decided to give her inner child her power back and the memories she deserved. The characters in the story are symbolic, and each plays a role in Jennifer's healing. Like Jenni, who collects pennies in her piggy bank, Jennifer records moments of joy in her journal. She refers to these as moments she hopes never to forget and will use them to continue writing not just children's books but also her memoir. Jennifer now resides in beautiful sunny California and enjoys living an active lifestyle to balance her love of breakfast tacos, burgers, and Texas barbecue.