Born and raised in Ohio, CJ lives and writes in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. She has three married daughters, six grandsons, and two granddaughters.

Besides fiction and non-fiction, essays, and poetry of all types, she's written several children's short stories.

When writing, CJ draws on her life's experiences: flight attendant, co-owner of a small business, an executive secretary, records clerk for the detective division of a police department, and she sold insurance and radio advertising. CJ is also a Vietnam War widow.

After writing a children's column for nearly a year for The Bedford Journal Newspaper, Through The Eyes of a Child, CJ is actively promoting her book, Barking Spiders and Other Such Stuff, (orig. pub. by SterlingHouse, August 2000). The sequel is done, and she's working on a seventh children's story and a third children's poetry book.

Barking Spiders and other Such Stuff, (orig. pub. by SterlingHouse, 2000)., 68-pgs., $9.95, ISBN# 1563152215. 2nd Edition. (all rights owned by CJ Heck, author).

Bedford Journal Newspaper Children's Columnist: Through the Eyes of a Child.

"The Birthday Wall", to be in study guide The Key, Curriculum for Reading, state of Arkansas, grade 3 level for Reading Comprehension testing, Castle Rock Research, Alberta Canada.

"The Money Tree", to be in textbook, "Money", as part of Boldprint Series for struggling and at-risk students. Rubicon Publishing Inc., Oakville, ON, Canada.

"Mr. Beggar Man", "Waiting for a Greyhound", "I Love Bugs", "Bedtime Prayer", (poems) in Art With Words, Poetry Quarterly, Debra J. Harmes Kurth, Editor, June 2007 Edition.

"The Changeling", "Barfly: Woman in a Bar", Barking Spiders", "Barking Spiders In Church", To a Baby Firefly", (poems) in Art With Words, Poetry Quarterly, Debra J. Harmes Kurth, Editor, March 2007 Edition.

"The Money Tree", (from the book, Barking Spiders and Other Such Stuff), 10-year worldwide contract granted to SRA/McGraw-Hill for use of poem in "SRA Kaleidoscope Program 2008", (student reader, electronic student reader, teacher's edition, electronic teacher's edition, listening library, handicapped uses, promotional/sales materials), April, 2007.

"Gramma's Apron", included by special permission in Get Sauced, a cookbook by Melissa Hecht, self-published by Melissa Hecht, March 2007.

Barking Spiders and Other Such Stuff, book to be read by children and videotaped for "Step Into A Story" Program, and broadcast throughout the year on cable TV. Distance Learning, Waubonsee Community College, Sugar Grove, Illinois, 2007.

"What Do I Want To Be?" and "Children of the Rainbow", in The Elementary Reading (grade two) Textbook, JFC Publishing House, Inc., Quezon City Philippines, 2007

"Hugs", in CD 1050: Art, Literature, and Music (for first-year college students in Early Learning and Child Care Program), published by Grande Prairie Regional College, Grande Prairie, Alberta, May 2006.

"We Dine on Love", in True Poet Magazine, April 2006 Issue.

"Copy Cat", "Just Like Me", Lemonade Stand", "Puddle Stompin'", "My Tooth", "Mama, am I Pretty?", "Naps", "Tree House", in Ultimate Guide to Celebrating Kids II", Bluegrass Publishing, July 2005.

"Full Circle", in Graphic Poetry: A Wig-01 Project, Viction: Design Workshop, Hong Kong, May 31, 2005.

"My World" in Elementary School Poetry Textbook, (Unit 8, Candyland Poetry), TeachingPoint, Inc., Jacksonville, FL, December 2004.

"Pockets", "Crying", Broadway Coursebook 2, Oxford University Press , New Delhi, India, 2003.

"The Little Umbrella", (children's story) COM-ACT (Communication in Action) Magazine, Grade 1 Edition, Dane Publishing House, Inc., Quezon City, Phillipines, 2003.

"Hugs", Your Big Backyard Magazine, National Wildlife Federation, February 2002.

"I Am", in The Girls' Book of Love, Little, Brown and Company, Edited by Catherine Dee, Illustrations by Ali Douglass, ISBN 0-316-17404-1, 2002.

"The Pigeon Man", (children's story, all rights sold), CTB/McGraw-Hill, (Educational Testing Division), July 2002.

"Mama" and "Innocent Voyeur", Steel Point Quarterly, Spring 2002 Issue.

"Mama, Am I Pretty?", Purpose Magazine, Mennonite Publishing House, (edited by James E. Horsch) March 2002.

"Gramma's Apron", The Poet's Touchstone, Poetry Society of New Hampshire Inc., Winter Edition 2002.

"Marks Of Me", (poem, all rights sold) CTB/McGraw-Hill , (Educational Testing Division), April 2001.

"Mama, Am I Pretty?", Tales 'n Rhyme Magazine, (Dorothy Brockmeier, Publisher), May 2001.

"Innocent Voyeur", FLASH!POINT Journal, (Frances LeMoine/Lana Hechtman Ayers, Publishers), February 2001.

"... and He Whispered", Poet's Market, (Writers Digest Books), 2001 Edition.

"Little People", Mature Living Magazine, (LifeWay), May 2001.

"Just Like Me", New Hampshire Magazine, Network Publications, Inc., October 2000.

"Butterfly Lesson", St. Anthony Messenger, St. Anthony Messenger Press, May 2000.

"Taps", by invitation, Taps Exhibit, The Taps Project, Arlington National Cemetery, May 29, 1999.

"Awhile Ago", The Poet's Touchstone, Poetry Society of New Hampshire Inc., June 1999.

"Taps", The Other Side of Sorrow, ed. Patricia Frisella (Poetry Society of New Hampshire, 2006).

"His Hands", "The Changeling", and "Missing You" in The PoemHunter Anthology, 2005 Inaugural Issue, To Order go to www.Lulu.com.

"...And He Whispered", "Six-Year Old's View of Kissing", and "Cold Champagne Dreams", in Bytes Of Poetry, A Lovestories.com Anthology, (edited by Alanna Webb), November 1999. To order, go to Amazon.com.

7 children's poems, 1999 cookbook, Rosedale North Elementary School, Rosedale, CA.
5 children's poems, Harrisonburg Unitarian Church Newsletter, January/February 2000, Harrisonburg, VA.
21 children's poems, 1999 cookbook, Thaxton Elementary School, Thaxton, VA.