Nancy van Alphen grew up in a middle-class family in rural-suburban northeast Ohio, where she lived most of her life. Currently, she and her husband Eric live in southern New Jersey (or South Jersey as the locals call it), minutes outside of Philadelphia. She regularly makes the eight hour drive back to Ohio to visit family and friends. While blessed to have had a series of divine, spiritually transformative experiences, she considers herself “pretty ordinary—for the most part.”

Not as ordinary is her family life. With children living on both sides of the pond, and a husband who travels extensively between several continents for work, she manages her life around time zones and flight schedules. Eric is a native of Holland, where his children (Nancy’s step-children) Jasper and Danique still reside. Danique is a graphic designer and provided the cover art and layout for “Caught Between Heaven & Earth.” Nancy’s daughter, Bailey, resides in Ohio. Charlie, the family’s Cairn terrier whose ears never went up, recently passed on, but is loved and missed by all.

A seasoned traveler, Nancy has visited Jerusalem seeking connection with her past life as Absalom and that of his father, King David. She relates in “Caught Between Heaven & Earth,” her travel to Ireland, which is significant to her story. She has also traveled to Paris, Rome, London, Bangkok, Amsterdam, and a host of other locations throughout the U.S. and Europe. She loves travel, but hates packing. A graduate of Oberlin College, Nancy majored in cultural anthropology with a keen interest in archaeology. She subscribed to Darwinian evolution, as was common in her field, but knew even then as an agnostic that it was purely materialistic science.

Nancy began writing as a journalism major at Lorain County Community College, where she was editor of the newspaper for two years before obtaining her associate degree. During her time at Oberlin College, she worked as copy editor for the regional daily newspaper, The Chronicle Telegram

Writing segued into a marketing career where Nancy first worked as a copywriter on the Cleveland advertising scene. She quickly developed skills as a marketing strategist and has held positions with companies of all sizes, working on both national and international accounts. She remembers most fondly being part of an education sales team for Apple Computer, managing marketing activities and trade shows during a time that buzzed with excitement over each new technology release. She currently works as an independent marketing consultant and includes her husband’s employer among her clients. Joining him at trade shows and swanky after-parties in Las Vegas is “just part of the job,” she says.

Semi-retired, Nancy is heavily involved in volunteer work with IANDS (International Association for Near-Death Studies) and is busy establishing a local group in Philadelphia. She has been a hospice volunteer for the past four years and has been a big sister in the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program. Her hobbies include travel, reading, snorkeling, cooking, and exploration of all things spiritual.

For information on presentations and book signings, contact info@nancyvanalphen.com

Overlooking the desert from atop
Mount Madada, Jerusalem