Friday, November 28, 2008

Jane in Winter

When we lived in Morocco, and the days were growing shorter, I started thinking about my childhood in England. 
In those days I loved reading and wished real life was as exciting as what happened in books.


So I started writing a story which combines elements of both what really happened and what should have done. 
My heroine, ignored by her brother, manages to have an adventure on her own and travels to a mysterious kingdom deep under a lake.
In writing the book, I drew on elements of all kinds of classic stories: Grimm's Fairy Tales, Beowulf (all bad creatures have lairs under water!), folklore: the four elements -- earth, air fire and water and so on. 

Several young people in Morocco, among them Leonora Brebner, Nikole Cairns and Maria Thornhill, were my first readers. Their enthusiastic reception  pleased me enormously.

Then I had to make a cover.
I took out the water colors my daughter gave me, and old photos and prints. 
Thorndon Hall in the print is Myrtle Hall in the book.
The little cottage in the photo is the house I grew up in. 
I think the story is best suited to  8-12 year old readers, but grownups will enjoy the descriptions of food and life in the days before video games and cell phones. 
I have just finished writing Jane's next adventure called Jane in Spring. This will be available soon.
JANE IN WINTER is available from Lulu.com.

PREVIEW THE BOOK
You can read the first ten pages of the book to see if you like it!
The preview is also here (http://www.lulu.com/browse/preview/php?fCID=5179335)
I love feedback so please e-mail me at elizabethwix@hotmail.com if you have any comments or suggestions.
Posted by at
Labels: , , ,

38 comments:

  1. d. moll, l.ac.November 28, 2008 at 4:47 PM

    How wonderful ! Might I suggest that you create your link directly to the book on Lulu, 'stead of to just Lulu? I might just get one, even though I'm just a tad out of the age group........

    ReplyDelete
  2. SuburbiaNovember 28, 2008 at 4:49 PM

    You are such a tallented lady :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Alicia PadrónNovember 28, 2008 at 5:39 PM

    Oh my goodness Elizabeth!! I had no idea you wrote a book. That is so wonderful. The cover looks so interesting too! Congratulations my friend.

    I just saw your buy me button on the side bar. I'll go take a look!! :o)

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousNovember 28, 2008 at 6:08 PM

    Awesome! I love the cover. This is exciting. I'm off to LuLu! Congratulations on your latest book.

    Paz

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnonymousNovember 28, 2008 at 6:09 PM

    how wonderful Elizabeth!
    and so so so inspiring
    I've got my thinking cap on here
    the book looks and sounds delightful

    xox - eb.

    ReplyDelete
  6. WillowNovember 28, 2008 at 6:21 PM

    Is this the book I read? What lovely pictures; they are perfect for your story!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Jeane MyersNovember 28, 2008 at 6:31 PM

    so glad you stopped by my blog! because I might never have know about this fabulous sight of yours! you are bookmarked!

    ReplyDelete
  8. AnonymousNovember 28, 2008 at 6:42 PM

    Elizabeth! congrats on the publication of this beautiful book! Is Susanna doing the author photo?

    x..x
    steph

    ReplyDelete
  9. UnknownNovember 28, 2008 at 7:29 PM

    Congrats on the book :) sounds like a perfect book for my girls.

    ReplyDelete
  10. LeenieNovember 28, 2008 at 7:34 PM

    Congratulatons on your authorship. A book like you described must have taken many hours to produce. We never appreciate everything that goes into others' creations.

    ReplyDelete
  11. LeenieNovember 28, 2008 at 7:35 PM

    P.S. thanks for stopping by to say, "Hi." I really enjoy your photos!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Pamela Terry and EdwardNovember 28, 2008 at 8:38 PM

    What a complete delight! It looks just wonderful. I am off to Lulu now!

    All the best for a lovely Thanksgiving weekend! From both of us!

    ReplyDelete
  13. FrancesNovember 28, 2008 at 10:12 PM

    Hello Elizabeth,

    I know that I am going to love reading your Lulu, even before I read it, and just want to savor that feeling for a bit.

    Looking forward to reading it tomorrow, and then writing you again.

    xo

    ReplyDelete
  14. Baybay MamaNovember 28, 2008 at 11:57 PM

    That is so beautiful:)

    ReplyDelete
  15. Hey HarrietNovember 29, 2008 at 12:24 AM

    Congratulations Elizabeth! I just know I'm going to enjoy your words just as much as I love your cover artwork. Gorgeous! I just now ordered my copy from Lulu. I'm so looking forward to it arriving :)

    ReplyDelete
  16. Alissa NicolauNovember 29, 2008 at 12:37 AM

    What a beautiful, beautiful cover. It truly makes me curious to read the book.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Maryam in MarrakeshNovember 29, 2008 at 1:51 AM

    Oh that's fantastic, E! And the cover is adorable. You do have copies chez-toi, so that I could get an autographed one for Tristan?

    ReplyDelete
  18. Claudia SchmidNovember 29, 2008 at 6:58 AM

    We just ordered our copy for AP's nephew for Christmas. The cover looks great!

    ReplyDelete
  19. MandyNovember 29, 2008 at 6:58 AM

    Wow - the book looks really interesting! I love the idea - it reminds me of Enid Blyton in a very good way but also seems very well written. I was also reminded of C S Lewis.

    Is the book illustrated inside?

    ReplyDelete
  20. High Desert DivaNovember 29, 2008 at 7:32 AM

    I'm even more impressed knowing you did the cover art as well as the writing. Bravo.

    ReplyDelete
  21. willNovember 29, 2008 at 8:39 AM

    I agree. Creativity moves everything forward. Sometimes in bits and pieces and other times volumes. Good for you.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Karen ColeNovember 29, 2008 at 9:54 AM

    Elizabeth!!!!!

    This is wonderful news.
    How can we purchase a copy or two, or three.......I guess I will go to the Lulu link.

    I LOVE your watercolor BTW.

    ReplyDelete
  23. A MumNovember 29, 2008 at 10:33 AM

    what a beautiful picture you painted. and what lovely, lovely photographs. i have never visited NY. It is a metaphorical - and almost literal - million miles from where i live. but i should love to see it one day. and well done too for your book.

    ReplyDelete
  24. natural attrillNovember 29, 2008 at 11:32 AM

    Wow! how exciting, I remember you talking about your book, when we met in Marrakesh. Hope it sells well!
    Penny.

    ReplyDelete
  25. ChrisNovember 29, 2008 at 5:30 PM

    How nice! Congrats! I'm going to go check it out.

    ReplyDelete
  26. The Summer Kitchen GirlsNovember 29, 2008 at 7:46 PM

    Congratulations! We love the cover....and we just might have to snatch one up to see the inside!!

    ReplyDelete
  27. LeslieNovember 29, 2008 at 9:41 PM

    I love your watercolor! This is so exciting. I'm going right over to Lulu. I know at least one young girl in that age group and an adult or two who would enjoy reading your work.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Rinkly RimesNovember 29, 2008 at 10:53 PM

    What a clever way of making the cover!

    I, too, have self-published on LULU. Mine is 'Little Somethings', a book of light verse.

    My NY friend, Margaret, says you publish photos of all the shops etc se passes in her everyday life! It's odd to think you probably pass each other in the street!

    ReplyDelete
  29. dianasfaria.comNovember 30, 2008 at 1:09 AM

    what an amazing creative idea. I love the cover art as well.
    Congratulations Elizabeth!

    ReplyDelete
  30. JanNovember 30, 2008 at 7:48 AM

    Congratulations on being published. I'm a bookseller, and I realize it's not easy.

    ReplyDelete
  31. DarylNovember 30, 2008 at 11:14 AM

    How wonderful .. this is something i always dreamed of doing ... I am envious!

    :-Daryl

    ReplyDelete
  32. BarrieNovember 30, 2008 at 11:36 AM

    Congratulations, Elizabeth!

    ReplyDelete
  33. Jennifer ThermesDecember 1, 2008 at 11:44 AM

    Great, Elizabeth! The story sounds intriguing... :-)

    ReplyDelete
  34. TBMDecember 1, 2008 at 1:36 PM

    Congratulations, Elizabeth! This one sounds like one I will love. And off to Lulu I go :-)

    ReplyDelete
  35. Alyson | New England LivingDecember 1, 2008 at 2:06 PM

    That is so cool and fabulous! I must look into this little gem!

    ReplyDelete
  36. Christina SilverioDecember 2, 2008 at 3:27 PM

    Gorgeous work!!!

    ReplyDelete
  37. BeeDecember 2, 2008 at 5:50 PM

    The picture, the description of the book, and its inspiration -- all sound divine! I just happen to have a 10 year old . . .

    ReplyDelete
  38. AnonymousDecember 3, 2008 at 6:06 AM

    I DO NOT remember how I reached the shore of your blog... but here I am ANY way...!!!
    And this illustration of yours looks wonderful and very attractive to me...
    I shall see how to get the book here...
    Marie-Noëlle
    (I chose the "Anonymous" way out as the other doors were blocked !)

    ReplyDelete

I look forward to hearing from you!

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)