About Jillian
Jillian holds a master’s degree in public history from Wichita State University and a bachelor’s degree in communication and history from McPherson College. Her research on little-known historical events led her to discover the true story behind her first novel, The Rhino Keeper.
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Jillian's historical research has been published in academic journals and she was the editor for Wichita State’s The Fairmount Folio. Her passions lie in the 18th century.
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You can find Jillian gardening, browsing the closest antique mall, or reading every label at a museum. She'll most likely be wearing vintage dresses, except when she's at the zoo. She lives in Wichita, Kansas, with her husband, child, and pets. Her second novel is in the works.
Early Praise for
The Rhino Keeper
"The Rhino Keeper will fascinate, enchant, and steal your heart as you follow Clara's wondrous journey from the tropics of India to the sparkling courts of Europe alongside her devoted human companions. Poignant and tender, this impeccably researched novel marks Forsberg as a writer to watch. A captivating debut you'll never forget."
~Paulette Kennedy, bestselling author of The Witch of Tin Mountain
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"An absorbing delight from start to finish, The Rhino Keeper deftly weaves a very modern tale of a young historian who makes a life-changing discovery with the true story of an eighteenth-century Dutch sea captain who toured Europe with a fully-grown female Indian rhinoceros called Clara. Readers will be pulling for the central characters, past and present, as we follow in Clara’s outsize footsteps to discover her history and final fate. Jillian Forsberg is deeply engaged in this remarkable story and, after reading The Rhino Keeper, you will be, too.”
~Glynis Ridley, author of Clara’s Grand Tour. Travels with a Rhinoceros in Eighteenth-Century Europe
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“A charming page turner perfect for animal and history lovers alike.”
~Diana Giovinazzo, author of Antoinette’s Sister
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