Author and illustrator Janice S. C. Petrie has written two books for the adult and young adult audience entitled, Perfection To A Fault: A Small Murder in Ossipee, New Hampshire, 1916  and Bay State Skye; and four children's books for ages three through ten entitled, The Bumpy, Lumpy Horseshoe Crab, Did You Make the Hole in the Shell in the Sea?, The Lucky Hermit Crab and Her Swirly New Shell and Something's Tugging on My Claw!

Petrie is a certified teacher who has earned her Bachelor of Science and Master of Education degrees in the field of education, with a concentration in reading. Petrie also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art, with a graphic design concentration.

Petrie first learned about coastal marine life from working as an Outreach Specialist at the New England Aquarium. Since then, she’s spent years caring for these intriguing sea animals, and teaching children and adults about the habitat and sea life commonly found near the shore. The material covered in her children's stories are topics commonly taught by Petrie in her sea animal programs.

In her free time, Petrie made many trips to the Ossipee, New Hampshire area to visit with the Ossipee Historical Society, the Carroll County Courthouse, and the Concord State Library, trying to piece together the events of 1916 that kept everyone mesmerized while the tragic story was unfolding, yet was seldom mentioned years later. She gained interest in this story after learning the cottage she spent a single night vacationing in as a baby, seemed to be occupied by an unsettling presence. When she learned that a murder had happened in the old cottage at the turn of the century, she had to delve into what really happened.

Petrie's family has been involved in the seafood business for two generations. Her interest in the industry was piqued after spending several years working in the trade herself, which led to her inclination to tell the Bay State Skye story.