About

JODI COWLES is an American author who spent eight years living (and mostly loving) life with her husband and daughter in Istanbul, Turkey. Spending more than half her adult life living and working in seven different countries, her time abroad expanded her vision of the world and allowed her to collect stories along the way. Armed with an endless supply of culture-clashing mishaps, inappropriate marriage proposals, and language barrier misfires, Jodi’s writing gets to the heart of the matter: the human connection present in every country and culture.

Cold Turkey

Hoodwinked by the charming smile and dishy British accent of an international school administrator, Amanda says farewell to her simple and predictable American life in exchange for a teaching position in Turkey, a country featuring fasting, feasting, and frequent calls to prayer. 

She soon finds herself caught up in a colorful—and often perplexing—life as a foreigner in Turkey. Navigating a never-ending leaking bathroom, crowded public transportation, and plenty of foibles in a language completely foreign to her, Amanda jumps in with humor and enthusiasm. 

Discovering Turkey’s rich culture, impressive street food and friendly (if slightly intrusive) inhabitants enamors Amanda at first, but as the school year grinds on, the newness and excitement wear off. As her challenges begin piling up, Amanda questions her decision and longs for home. But, deep down, she is beginning to fall in love with this crazy and chaotic metropolis and the people who live in it.

Cold Turkey is for those who enjoy exploring new destinations, travel humor, and the joy (and anxiety) of being a stranger in a strange land. A modern-day Pride and Prejudice collides–up close and personal–with daily Turkish life, like they’re smashed together on a crowded, steamy public bus.

* The above links are Amazon affiliate links which provide the author with a small commission at no additional cost to you. 😉

Thirst

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In a watery world of pain, rescuers bring a cure to any who want their thirst satisfied. But many in pain turn to cheap substitutes, eventually finding themselves deeper and deeper in a meaningless life with a bleak future.

Thirst is a haunting allegory in a water-filled world with the constant fear of what lurks just below the surface. Some of the danger rises out of the deep to destroy, while other danger is self-inflicted; but safety isn’t a destination or a guarantee to those who have the cure. Can redemption exist in a world that works against each character?

Thirst beckons the reader to evaluate their own cure for pain to see if it truly quenches. Through the eyes of key characters, author Jodi Cowles parses out the consequences of deliberate and passive choices in faith, life, and relationships, while looking for where light emerges from the darkness.

This poignant allegory is for people who love stories with depth, parallel meaning, and those who hold out for hope.

What readers are saying:

“Captivating and unlike anything else I’ve ever read.”
– P.K. Amazon Review

“This is an easy read, not because it is short, but because it is action packed and unfolds like a puzzle. You can’t wait to discover what’s next and how all the events are tied together. Once you start reading THIRST, you won’t put it down until you are finished.”
– M. Amazon Review

“The analogy is beautifully written and is grippingly honest in its depiction of the fight for life that goes on deep inside us. Like any truly great analogy, it touches on realities and truths in powerful ways we’re not otherwise ready to reckon with directly. Thirst is a story that sticks with you and gives insight long after you’ve read it.”
– P. Amazon Review

* The above links are Amazon affiliate links which provide the author with a small commission at no additional cost to you. 😉

Poetry

Sketching Faith: Jodi sends out a weekly email with a faith-based creative writing piece. Click here to sign up.

Some Wandered in the Desert

Some Wandered in the Desert Cover

Coming Soon!

“Hello Matt, my name is Amal. I have kidnapped your sister and your friend.”

And suddenly, four lives intertwine in the deserts of North Africa: Becca, a damaged champion of trafficked girls; Kate, a newly-minted do-gooder content with her life; Matt, a silver-tongued salesman sprinting from his past; and Amal, a young man raised in violence, trying to make the most of limited options.

As Becca and Kate fight captivity, Matt enters frantic negotiations with Amal, while struggling to understand the strange new world of kidnap and ransom threatening all forms of international aid.

Will Matt succeed before time runs out? Do Becca and Kate survive? When Darkness Falls, what will each of them discover?

Read an excerpt.

What readers are saying:

“A must read: I couldn’t put the book down, gripping story of the dangers of living for something that might cost you your life.”
– A.S. Amazon Review

“Gripping! I’ve never read a story that was so personal, the characters so real, the events so detailed and true to life. It’s as if this author lived through this tale of faith and survival herself. The images still are imprinted on my mind months after reading it.”
– P.K. Amazon Review

“Riveting! I couldn’t put this book down. The story felt real and scary and too close to home. It is one I will read again.”
– C.D. Amazon Review

* The above links are Amazon affiliate links which provide the author with a small commission at no additional cost to you. 😉