Splitting her time between Cape Cod, New Hampshire, and Florida, a tablet becomes Janis Robinson Daly’s library and desk, packed for reading and writing, wherever she might land.

Inspired by the discovery that an ancestor founded the Woman’s Medical College of PA in 1850, Daly wrote her first novel, THE UNLOCKED PATH, which celebrates pioneering women doctors at the turn of the 20th century.

Its sequel, THE PATH BENEATH HER FEET, honors the work of the American Women’s Hospitals in rural America during the 1930s. THE UNLOCKED PATH was named a #1 New Release for US History on Amazon in August 2022, received an Honorable Mention for General Fiction from the 2023 New England Book Festival Awards, and was named a finalist for the 2023 Goethe Awards of Late Historical Fiction from the Chanticleer International Book Awards.

Daly graduated with a B.A. in Psychology from Wheaton College, at the time, a women’s college. At Wheaton, she developed a fond appreciation of the supportive relationships established between students and a heightened awareness of female-centric issues. A presentation of how her genealogy research inspired her to begin writing has made Daly a sought-after speaker for book clubs, women’s groups, libraries and writers’ groups. She has presented at the Historical Novel Society's annual conference, as well as local chapters of AAUW and Soroptimist International, and virtually with the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, the American Medical Women's Association.

Her annual #31titleswomeninhistory curated list has gained recognition from historical fiction authors and avid readers as an innovative way to celebrate Women's History Month in March. Contact Janis to recommend a title for consideration or to book her presentation for your library or local reading group.

Books by Janis Robinson Daly

The Path Beneath Her Feet

by Janis Robinson Daly - Fiction, Historical Fiction, Women's Fiction

Steeped in rich historical detail, Dr. Eliza Edwards, the ingénue student in THE UNLOCKED PATH, becomes the mature mentor, steadfast in her calling to effect social change by addressing women’s health issues and guiding others to realize their dreams. In 1936, as the Depression ravages careers, Eliza redefines her abilities, traveling to Georgia and Tennessee as she reclaims her purpose and rediscovers her ambitions. Returning to Boston, she endures heartbreak with the eruption of World War II, bringing chaos to the world and sending her sons into battle. Will her unyielding pursuit to limit suffering and save lives sustain her amid the tumultuous landscapes of 1930s and 1940s America?