.append not working like I think it should, help

.append not working like I think it should, help

here's what I'm trying to do... I have xml that returns names (firstname, lastname, email address)
I want to put the email address in an <a link and wrap it around the name.

here's what I'm doing, which seems it would be correct:

$(theXml).find("name").each(function(){
        $clickLink = "<a onClick='parent.EMAIL_FIELD.value='" + '"' + $(this).find("email").text() + '"' + "'>";
      $("#addrBook").append($clickLink + $(this).find("firstName").text() + " " + $(this).find("lastName").text() + "<br/>" );

what I get back is this, though. It's putting it together in the wrong order:
<a jjohnson@company.com="" onclick="parent.EMAIL_FIELD.value=">Joe Johnson<br></a>