After spending nearly three decades teaching mathematics and an equal amount of time working as a nurse, JS Warner decided it was finally time to stop postponing a long-held dream. In 2023, at age 62, Warner committed to writing seriously. Just over a year later, in October 2024, that decision resulted in becoming a published author with ten distinct works now in print.
Warner’s publishing portfolio is notably diverse. The collection includes several children’s books in English, Spanish, and Polish, the science fiction Zoe Vega Series, a western, and a co-authored mystery titled “The Sulu Sea Mystery” written with his daughter. Warner’s first novel, a psychological thriller, “Measured Steps: The Claire Morrison Files,” is scheduled for release in February 2026.
An Unconventional Path to Writing
Warner’s career began in 1984 teaching mathematics in the Philippines. Teaching continued in American Samoa, where he met his future spouse, before returning to the United States. In 1996, while transitioning out of teaching, Warner trained as a nurse, then later returned to education—ultimately working both professions simultaneously for years. Today, Warner continues working as an elementary school nurse in New Jersey.
This unusual combination of experiences—international living, mathematics education, healthcare, and decades of observing human nature in classrooms and medical offices—has shaped Warner’s fiction and storytelling approach. The variety of genres tackled in such a short time suggests someone drawing from a deep well of accumulated life experience.
Writing as Exploration
Warner’s personal life reflects a similar appetite for new experiences. Married for over forty years with four children and eight grandchildren, Warner and spouse have visited 38 countries and 49 U.S. states. They currently live at the Jersey Shore, where he balances nursing duties with an active writing schedule focused on multiple short story projects.
The trajectory from wanting to write for years to publishing ten works in roughly a year demonstrates what can happen when preparation meets commitment. Looking ahead, Warner plans to retire from school nursing within the next one to three years to focus on his family, writing, and continued travels around the world.
Given the productivity already demonstrated, and decades of professional experience yet to mine for material, readers can expect a steady stream of compelling narratives in the coming years.
It’s an encouraging reminder that creative careers don’t follow prescribed timelines, and that the stories we accumulate through work, travel, and relationships can fuel entirely new chapters—whenever we’re ready to write them.
