Into the Catskills
Posted: September 18, 2019 Filed under: Books, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Historical Inspiration, Post-Apocalyptic, Writing, Writing for a YA Audience, Young Adult | Tags: Bunker Boy, Historical Fiction, Historical Inspiration, Inspiration, Jordan Elizabeth, Post-Apocalyptic, Writing for a YA Audience, Writing to be Read Leave a comment
I’m a huge history lover, so anything old has always sparked my interest. I imagine that an old building can tell me the secrets of the past. If I walk through its ancient doors, I’ll be transported back in time. I’ll be able to experience everything that came before.
It hasn’t yet, but I’m still hoping.
One day I was bored, probably tired from work, and decided to look at abandoned buildings online. I was scrolling through Pinterest and voila, there was a beautiful, crumbling resort. The image showed an old pool. Vines crept up broken windows and ferns fought their way through cracked cement. It was beautiful and haunting. I clicked to learn more, and discovered it was a resort from the Catskills.
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com
In their heyday (1920s through the 1960s), the Catskill Mountains were home to numerous fancy resorts. People came from all over to experience the thrill of the mountains. Many New Yorkers left the city to experience the calm of the country. The popular movie, Dirty Dancing, takes place at a resort in the Catskills.
Overtime, interest waned. From articles I read online, it seems that the readily people could travel on airplanes to distant wonderlands, the less they wanted to travel upstate. There are still some resorts left and I hope to vacation there someday. I must admit, though, the abandoned resorts fascinate me more than the ones still standing.
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com
While looking at more pictures of those abandoned resorts, a story idea came to me. The world ends and the remains of civilization are holed up inside a crumbling hotel. Thus was born my post-apocalyptic novella, BUNKER BOY. If you decide to read it, let me know what you think! I’d love to know if it has inspired you, too, to check out the old memories of the Catskills.
Jordan Elizabeth is a young adult fantasy author. She is most likely gazing at something in awe, something she will soon include in one of her novels. You can connect with Jordan via her website, JordanElizabethBooks.com.
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Writing for a YA Audience: The Truth about Libraries
Posted: August 21, 2019 Filed under: Books, Fiction, Libraries, Reading, Writing, Writing for a YA Audience, Young Adult | Tags: Jordan Elizabeth, Libraries, Writing for a YA Audience, YA, Young Adult, Young Adult Fiction Leave a comment
“This looks great!” The young woman picked up my book from the table at the craft show. She read the back and took a free bookmark. “I’m going to look for this in the library.”
I let her know which of the local libraries had the book. Smiling, she left for the next table.
Across the aisle, a woman sold beeswax lip balm. She shook her head at me. “That’s a horrible thing for her to say to you. She should have just bought it.”
Was it a horrible thing, though?
I hear from at least one person at every book signing I do that they’ll look for my books in the library. I hear from other authors that it happens to them too. It might sound like a bad thing. The author isn’t getting a sale.
Here’s the truth –borrowing your book from the library isn’t a bad thing. In fact, it’s a great thing. That person is reading your book. That’s what all authors want: someone to read the book. Someone who borrows a book from the library has a limited time to keep that book in their possession, so they’re actually going to read it in a timely fashion. If you buy a book, it might sit on your shelf unread for years. That person who just read your book is hopefully going to leave a review. Bad or a good, a review always brings attention to the book online.
The reader is going to talk about your book in person too. They’re going to tell all of their reader friends. Those friends will hopefully buy or borrow your book. The buzz about your book is growing.
The more people who take your book out from the library, the longer the library will keep your book in circulation. They will also order your other books, because hey, you’re a popular author.
For everyone who says you don’t get a sale when someone borrows your book, keep in mind that the library did order your book originally. Most libraries will be willing to have you autograph their copy and host a book signing. Libraries are an author’s bosom buddy.
Jordan Elizabeth is a young adult fantasy author who is often at her local library participating in workshops or browsing the titles. You can connect with Jordan via her website, JordanElizabethBooks.com.
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Writing for a YA Audience: Family History Packs a Punch
Posted: July 17, 2019 Filed under: Fiction, Historical Inspiration, Writing for a YA Audience, Young Adult Leave a comment
I’m obsessed with history. While some people find history depressing, I find it all fascinating, even the parts about serfs and the plague. Those were times that came before us. Those people built up the world we live in today. My ancestors made me who I am through the passing of genetics.
I’d never done much research into my family tree. I knew that my dad’s grandparents came from Poland. My mom’s paternal grandparents came from England and Germany. Her maternal grandparents were English and German too, and one ancestor fought in the Revolutionary War. My maternal grandmother always wanted to join the Daughters of the American Revolution, but couldn’t present the legal documents to prove it.
Years ago, people started talking about Ancestry. I didn’t have the funds to join the website, but it encouraged me to do some digging on my own. Oh, the things I found! Websites brought me to other websites, and I eventually did wind up on Ancestry. Everything I found fascinated me, even at 2am when I was still glued to the computer screen.
Not only did my maternal grandmother’s ancestors fight in the Revolutionary War, but they also were the original Dutch settlers. I got a friend hooked on finding out about her family tree, and we discovered she also descended from the first Dutch settlers – the same Dutch settlers who were in my family tree! We officially dubbed ourselves the Bradt Cousins thanks to our Bradt ancestors.
The more I looked, the more I discovered. An ancestor of mine was even English royalty!
For a while, I considered writing young adult novels based on their lives. I even started one about my grandmother, but it felt wrong. I knew my grandmother, but I didn’t know them. I didn’t want to write something that wouldn’t reflect their thoughts and feelings. Instead, I took their names and put them into my books.
Honora is Honoria in ESCAPE FROM WITCHWOOD HOLLOW.
My grandmother’s maiden name of Clark belongs to Clark in TREASURE DARKLY.
Charity is Charity in PATH TO OLD TALBOT.
Keziah is Keziah in GOAT CHILDREN.
Edna Hammer is Edna in COGLING.
Aeltye is Aeltye in VICTORIAN.
The list goes on. Maybe someday I will do my best to write about their lives, but for now, I hope they feel honored to have their names featured in books.
Jordan Elizabeth is a young adult fantasy author. She may or may not be staring at a supposedly haunted house trying to see faces in the windows. You can connect with Jordan – and point her in the direction of some paranormal activity – via her website, JordanElizabethBooks.com.
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Writing for a YA Audience: Author Photo Shoot
Posted: June 19, 2019 Filed under: Books, Fantasy, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Writing for a YA Audience, Young Adult | Tags: Fantasy, Fanya in the Underworld, Jordan Elizabeth, Writing for a YA Audience, YA, Young Adult, Young Adult Fiction Leave a comment
I’ve done a few photo shoots for my author pictures, and they are always so much fun. I get to feel like a model. For FANYA IN THE UNDERWORLD, we decided to do things a little differently. Aaron Siddall illustrated the book and I wrote it; we both brainstormed the concepts. Because this was a joint collaboration, we decided to have a joint photo.
A good friend of ours, Monica Reid Keba, met with us at the Utica Train Station, known as Union Station. The building is beautiful, with marble pillars and chandeliers. Stepping inside is a little like going back in time. Many of the fixtures are original from the construction in 1914. I have a special fondness for the waiting room benches. Not only do they incorporate the heating system, but they are gorgeous to look at. The station was designed by Allen Stem and Alfred Fellheimer. In case you aren’t familiar with those names, they are the architects who designed New York City’s Grand Central Station.
Aaron Siddall and I posed on the benches, beneath the chandeliers, and outside. The autumn day was crisp, with a light drizzle in the air. I hiked up my skirt and scaled the side of an old trolley car. We also explored the park next door. The train station is located in the historic Bagg’s Square neighborhood. The quaint park, surrounded by a stone fence, is home to the site of a log cabin known as Bagg’s Tavern. This log cabin saw esteemed guests such as George Washington and Ulysses S. Grant.
If you are ever in the area and love visiting historic sites, check out the train station and Bagg’s Tavern. Your eyes won’t be disappointed by the sites.
Jordan Elizabeth is a young adult fantasy author. She is most likely gazing at something in awe, something she will soon include in one of her novels. You can connect with Jordan – and point her in the direction of some paranormal activity – via her website, JordanElizabethBooks.com.
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Writing for a YA Audience: Books in the Library
Posted: May 15, 2019 Filed under: Books, Fiction, Libraries, Self-Publishing, Writing, Writing for a YA Audience, Young Adult | Tags: Books, Jordan Elizabeth, Libraries, Writing for a YA Audience, YA, Young Adult, Young Adult Fiction 1 Comment
“This is available at the library, right?’ I get that question a lot.
You should know that I talk about my books. A lot. I get excited and that passion spills over whether I’m at a book signing or conversing with a coworker. Some people don’t want to buy books. They might not like the book, so they don’t want to invest in the purchase, or they don’t want to have books cluttering their homes. Whatever the reason, libraries are perfect.
Photo by Janko Ferlic on Pexels.com
If I’m asked locally, then I get to say yes, my books are available. Other places…well…not so much. That surprises people.
Here’s the thing about indie books. Libraries don’t normally stock them. They need a reason to purchase a copy. This could be because you’re a local author, because you did an event there, or because someone requested it.
The best way to help out an author is to ask your local library to purchase a copy. This is a sale for the author and exposure. People are going to borrow the book, read it, and talk about. There is no marketing tool as powerful as word of mouth.
Jordan Elizabeth is a young adult fantasy author. She’s often wandering libraries looking for something to spark her interest…or she’s squealing over a treasure discovered in a used book room. You can connect with her via her website.
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On “Writing to be Read”: Romance is in the air in April
Posted: April 29, 2019 Filed under: Books, Contemporary Romance, Dark Fantasy, Dystopian, Erotica, Fantasy, Fiction, Historical Romance, LBGT, Paranormal, romance, Romantic Comedy, Science Fantasy, Science Fiction, Steampunk, Thriller, Western, Writing, Young Adult | Tags: Contemporary Romance, Erotic Romance, Historical Romance, Inspirational Romance, Paranormal Romance, romance, Romantic Comedy, Romantic Thriller, Supernatural Romance, Writing to be Read, Y.A. Romance 2 Comments
Romance is one of the most popular genres around, not because everyone is reading them, but because romance readers read a lot. Romance comes in a wide variety of sub-genres: contemporary romance, historical romance, paranormal romance, fantasy romance, western romance, Christian romance, adventure romance, dark romance, and of course, erotic romance, just to name a few. Each type of romance can be very different, because they are after all different types of stories, and there are romantic elements in many types of storiest a romantic subplot has strong emphasis, such as romantic thrillers, romantic mysteries, romantic fantasies, or romantic time travel novels.
So, why is romance so popular? I think it is due in part to the fact that romance is such a vital part of life. Most people have experienced romantic relationships, and if they haven’t, they are searching for such a relationship, because we all need to give love and feel loved. But, romance readers aren’t just love starved singles whose dreams lay just beyond their reach, they also include plenty of happily married people, (mostly women, both married or single), who just like to relive those positive feeling they get from a good love story. Romance is something we all can relate to in one way or another. Romance novels offer a way for us to satisfy our inner longings viscareally or relate and relive our own experiences.
Every romance story or subplot has three things in common: two flawed main characters and a happily ever after, or at least a happily for now. In between, the characters must overcome many obstacles and conflicts. Sometimes these are external, such as others trying to keep them apart, but often they are internal, trying to convince themselves that they should be together, because they won’t admit that this is what they want, even to themselves. In the past the two characters were a boy and a girl, or a man and a woman, but in these changing times it is acceptable, perhaps even desirable, to write or read LBGT romances, where the characters may be of the same sex, or even questionable gender. Today romances may also be rated by the how much and how graphic the sex scenes are, from sweet to steamy to downright hot, and everything in between.
Romance is the genre theme for April, with interviews with “Chatting with the Pros” guest author historical romance author, Maya Rodale, and paranormal romance author Chris Barili (A.K.A. B.T. Clearwater). This month also featured reviews of an historical erotic romance, Ripper, by Amy Cecil, and a science fiction time travel romance, The Christmas Cruise, by Tammy Tate. As a special bonus, Jordan Elizabeth talked about writing her paranormal western romance, Treasure Darkly on her segment of “Writing for a Y.A. Audience“. Two reviews is hardly enough to be examples of all of the wide variety of forms and sub-genres which romance takes, so below you will find links to other past reviews of the romance genre, both good and not so good, to allow you to explore a wider variety of romance. As you can see from the varied selection, even though each contains the basic romance elements, all romances are not alike.
For my reviews of contemporary romance novels: Destiny’s Detour, by Mari Brown; Freedom’s Mercy, by A.K. Lawrence; Leave a Mark, by Stephanie Fournet; Ice on Fire, by Amy Cecil;
For my reviews of inspirational romance: Once – Ask Me Anything, Not Love, by Mian Mohsin Zia; Wrinkles, by Mian Mohsin Zia
For my reviews of an historical romance novel: Blind Fortune, by Joanna Waugh
For my reviews of a science fiction romance novel: Ethereal Lives, by Gem Stone
For my review of a LBGT science fiction romance novel: The Hands We’re GivenThe Hands We’re Given, by O.E. Tearmann
For my reviews of YA romances: Rotham Race, by Jordan Elizabeth (dystopian, apocalyptic); Runners & Riders, by Jordan Elizabeth (steampunk); Bottled, by Carol Riggs (romance fantasy); Treasure Darkly, by Jordan Elizabeth (dark western steampunk fantasy romance)
For my reviews of paranormal romances: Love Me Tender, by Mimi Barbour; Smothered, by B.T. Clearwater; Don’t Wake Me Up, by M.E. Rhines; The Demon is in the Details, by Harris Channing
For my review of a science fantasy romance: Gyre, by Jessica Gunn
For my review of supernatural romances: Bait, by Kasi Blake; Wolves for the Holiday 1.1, by Josette Reuel
For my interview of a comedy crime romance: Bailin’, by Linton Robinson
For my review of a contemporary sports romance: A Slapshot Prequel Box Set (Slapshot Prequel Trilogy Book 4), by Heather C. Myers
For my reviews of contemporary erotic romance: Bullet, by Jade C. Jamison; Everything Undone, by Westeria Wilde; Tangled Web, by Jade C. Jamison
For my review of romantic comedies: Behind Frenemy Lines, by Chelle Pederson Smith; Dream Job: Wacky Adventures of an H.R. Manager, by Janet Garbor
For my review of a romantic thriller: Freedom’s Song, by A.K. Lawrence
I hope you enjoyed our exploration of romance this month, and I hope you will join me in May for a closer look at Westerns. My “Chatting with the Pros” guest will be western author Juliette Douglas, with a supporting interview with Patricia PacJac Carroll, who writes Christian western romances. My book reviews will be on Chance Damnation, by DeAnna Knippling and Not Just Any Man, by Loretta Miles Tollefson. I’m looking forward to it, and I hope you are, too.
In April, we also had a special Saturday bonus interview with Shiju Pallithazheth to celebrate the release of his new book of magical realism stories, Katashi Tales. We also talk about the work he is doing to aknowledge contributors to world literature. We need more stories which spread love and acceptance of one another. I hope you’ll drop by to catch that one, too.
Remember, tomorrow is the deadline for the WordCrafter paranormal story entries. So, submit your paranormal short now, before it’s too late. I’ve already received some good ones, but there’s room for more. Winner gets a spot in the WordCrafter paranormal anthology and a $25 Amazon gift card. Other qualifying entries may get invitations to the anthology, as well. It’s only $5 to enter, so you really can’t go wrong. Full submission details here.) Send me your story while there’s still time. Hurry!
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Writing for a YA Audience: Romance Darkly
Posted: April 17, 2019 Filed under: Books, Fiction, romance, Steampunk, Western, Writing, Writing for a YA Audience, Writing Inspiration, Young Adult | Tags: Inspiration, Jordan Elizabeth, Steampunk, Treasure Darkly, Western, Writing for a YA Audience, Writing to be Read, Y.A. Romance, YA, Young Adult, Young Adult Fiction 1 Comment
My mom and uncle are obsessed with Westerns. They grew up watching Westerns and still make time for them every weekend. While watching a Western with my mom, I had the idea of writing a young adult Western…with a steampunk twist. I brainstormed a ranch with a family secret. Along came TREASURE DARKLY.
After the first draft, it was recommended I add in a romantic theme. Thus, Clark and Amethyst fell in love. It worked. I didn’t have to force them together. They were already best friends, and it flowed that they should develop romantic feelings for each other.
Then came the challenging part. My first editor for the story wanted more romance. I wasn’t a romance writer. Sure, my main characters each had a love interest, but I wouldn’t call my early works romances.
I set out to read romance novels to get a feel for the genre. I read some young adult romances, some Harlequins, and then I discovered a love of paranormal romance. I devoured those and wanted more. Eventually, I felt ready to write my own romance.
Young adult romances are tricky. Some people don’t want any sex in YA novels; some people say its okay. I struggled with that fine line before firmly stepping onto the “no sex” side. Yes, the book does get a bit steamy, but there is never explicit sex.
“But teens already know everything about sex,” I’ve been told.
Okay, that might be the case, but it doesn’t mean every young adult book has to contain graphic sex scenes. I want my books to be more about the adventure and setting than erotica.
Photo by Anderson Weiss on Pexels.com
Jordan Elizabeth is a young adult fantasy author who dapples in the steampunk realm. You can connect with Jordan via her website, JordanElizabethBooks.com.
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Writing for a YA Audience: Writing about a Dollhouse
Posted: March 20, 2019 Filed under: Fiction, Mystery, Speculative Fiction, Steampunk, Writing, Writing for a YA Audience, Young Adult | Tags: Clockwork Dollhouse, Jordan Elizabeth, mystery, Steampunk, Writing for a YA Audience 3 Comments
Dollhouses have always intrigued me. That and steampunk, but we’ll get to that later.
As a child, I had three dollhouses. One was wooden, made by my maternal grandfather. One was metal. I used it for my Little People. The third was plastic and I used it for my Victorian Playmobile set (I still feel bad that I never got the official dollhouse that went with the sets!). I loved setting up the rooms and just looking at them. My dolls didn’t always move around in them. It was more for show. I used my imagination to act out scenes.
There’s another dollhouse that sticks out in my mind, only I didn’t own it. As a child, my mother and I went through an estate sale in the neighborhood. In the basement, there was a dollhouse built to replicate the actual house. I fell in love with it. Unfortunately, it was expensive. It was old and showed the effects of being in a basement. Plus, it didn’t fit through the door! I can still picture that dollhouse to this day. I became obsessed with having an intricate dollhouse just like that one.
My grandmother bought me a wooden dollhouse kit. It came with working windows, shingles, and a drainpipe. It also came with a bit of trouble – none of us were carpentry inclined. The dollhouse sat in its box in my basement for years. Eventually, my then-boyfriend (now husband) attempted to put it together, but didn’t get farther than popping out the pieces. A few years ago, a friend’s husband put it together. It looks just as amazing as I’d always hoped it would.
My mother and I bought wallpaper, wainscoting, furniture, dolls… We’re in love with it, but we haven’t done too much decoration-wise. Some of the furniture came in sets and we already know we’re horrible at putting sets together. This dollhouse, sitting on the hall table, with its beautiful dolls keeps pulling at my imagination. I wanted to create a story about a dollhouse, one with secrets. Since I love the steampunk genre, I wanted to add in a taste of that. Thus, along came CLOCKWORK DOLLHOUSE, a short story about dolls and secrets.
Have you ever seen a dollhouse that beckoned you into its walls?
Jordan Elizabeth is a young adult fantasy author. If you have any spooky dollhouse furniture you want to part with, she would be happy to take it off your hands! You can connect with Jordan via her website, JordanElizabethBooks.com.
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Writing for a YA Audience: Interview with FANYA’S illustrator.
Posted: February 20, 2019 Filed under: Books, Collaboration, Dark Fantasy, Illustrations, Interview, Steampunk, Writing, Writing for a YA Audience, Young Adult | Tags: Aaron Siddall, Dark Fantasy, Fanya in the Underworld, Jordan Elizabeth, Steampunk, Writing for a YA Audience, YA, Young Adult, Young Adult Fiction 1 Comment
Every book is a collaboration. I work with editors, cover artists, and the publishers in so many ways behind the scenes. A few years ago, I got to collaborate in a different way. This time it was with a local illustrator, Aaron Siddall. He had an idea for a YA steampunk story. He would illustrate it and I would write it. We created a world of magic and mysterious creatures, and the book was released on November 14, 2018 from CHBB Publishing. *Hold for applause, wink wink.*
I would like to introduce Aaron Siddall to all of you. We met years ago when I joined the Utica Writers Club.
JE: When did you join the Utica Writers Club? What do you like most about it?
AS: The Utica Writers Club and I came together in 2010. I do write and occasionally read from things that I am working on, but I mostly attend for the creative energy. That and I find that writers make for excellent friends.
JE: How long have you been an illustrator?
AS: I’ve had a passion for art all of my life, but I had my first professional experience as an illustrator in 2001 working for Kenzer & Company and White Wolf Studios, both as a freelancer.
JE: What are some of the projects you’ve illustrated?
AS: Its hard to narrow down to favorites. But several stand out, such as; High Towers and Strong Places: A Political History of Middle Earth by Tim Furnish and published by Oloris Publishing. How Robin Hood Became an Outlaw by Learning A-Z. Ravenloft Denizens of Darkness by White Wolf Studios.
JE: How did you come up with the idea for FANYA?
AS: In a discussion concerning Steampunk and Fairy tales that I was involved with, I compared elements from both in relation to our world in the late 1800s (the Victorian era). In doing so, Russia and Alaska at the time were in the midst of tumultuous times, as there are many marvelous Russian Fairy Tales and the legends of the First Nations have many similar legends, these elements came together naturally in my mind.
JE: How did you come up with the title?
AS: Fanya is a name that shows up in both Russian and Inuit and Aleut peoples.
JE: What do you hope people take away from FANYA IN THE UNDERWORLD?
AS: Overall, I hope that people enjoy the action and magic of the setting. There is a great deal to think on and enjoy.
JE: What is your favorite illustration from the book?
AS: The one of Mr. Beisy on the doorstep in chapter two.
We hope you enjoy reading FANYA IN THE UNDERWORLD. Reviews and emails are always appreciated. If you love the artwork as much as I do, merchandise is available here.
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Writing for a YA Audience: Say Cheese
Posted: January 16, 2019 Filed under: Books, marketing, Promotion, Writing, Writing for a YA Audience, Writing Tips, Young Adult | Tags: book marketing, Book Promotion, Instagram, Jordan Elizabeth, Social media, Social Media Marketing, Social Media Promotion, Writing for a YA Audience, Young Adult Fiction 1 Comment
“Go on Instagram,” said my publisher. “That’s where the teens are. Post pictures of your books. They’ll eat it up.”
I was new to Instagram, but I called up the website on my computer and attempted to join, only to find out you have to post using the app on your cell phone. That put a damper on things – I don’t have a smart phone. My phone flips up, costs $100 a year, and it does everything I need it to (as in, it sometimes sends texts and usually makes a phone call). My husband has a smart phone, so I download the app onto his device, put on a smile, and snapped a picture holding my book. I didn’t look all that great. I snapped a few more, and ended up just taking a picture of the book cover. It got a few likes. They were from people who already knew me on Facebook.
I posted a few more covers and the likes trickled in, still from people who were already my friend. It seemed I needed a new strategy. I needed to attract people who didn’t already know me. I took some pictures of just me doing cute poses or wearing cute outfits. The same thing happened – the same people “liked” my pictures. Next, I tried posting pictures of my cat. That earned me more likes, and a couple new people. While she is adorable, my goal for Instagram was to get my book out there.
I reached out to author friends for advice. Based on their feedback, I started posting inspirational quotes and setting up my books in gorgeous spots. I propped my book up on the porch. I set the book in a bed of flowers. I put the book on my actual bed.
I like to think I’ve gotten better at posing my book in different way. The books are models and I’m their photographer. A very poor photographer. Likes and hearts trickle in, and now they’re coming from people I don’t know. I’m getting there!
Jordan Elizabeth is a young adult fantasy author. If you would like to follow her on Instagram, she goes by JayliaDarkness. The username is a shout-out to the YA fantasy series she’s currently writing.
You can connect with Jordan via her website, JordanElizabethBooks.com.
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