Jan Coffey

Jan Coffey is one of the pen names of USA Today's bestselling authors, Nikoo Kafi and Jim McGoldrick, and is known for their work in contemporary romantic suspense and thrillers. With other successful pen names, May McGoldrick for historical fiction and Nik James for westerns, they have written over fifty novels in various genres.

Nikoo Kafi and Jim McGoldrick have won numerous awards, including the Will Rogers Medallion and the Daphne DuMaurier Award.

Nikoo's background in engineering and Jim's PhD in sixteenth-century literature highlight their diverse expertise. Before their writing careers, Nikoo contributed to fields such as robotics and submarine construction, while Jim spent a decade in submarine construction after a variety of jobs before teaching literature.

They share that their unique career paths have helped them develop complementary strengths: Nikoo focuses on character depth and emotion, while Jim excels at creating action and setting. After thirteen years of marriage, they combined their talents and produced their first award-winning novel, The Thistle and the Rose, setting the stage for future collaborations.

The birth of the Jan Coffey pseudonym came as the duo expanded into the suspense and thriller genres. When their publisher requested a new pen name for these contemporary stories, Nikoo and Jim found inspiration in their own names: Jan is an acronym for Jim and Nikoo, while Coffey is an anglicised version of Nikoo's Persian family name, Kafi.

This pseudonym allowed them to explore new genres while maintaining a distinct identity for their diverse work.

Nikoo Kafi and Jim McGoldrick live in California.

Photo credit: www.maymcgoldrick.com