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Whether I am reading or writing, I always find it exciting to welcome back characters that I have come to know, watched grow and rooted for. If Ruth is one of those characters for you, I am delighted to share that she has made her return! Enjoy a sneak peek into her world and find out how to read more of her story now.
Sneak Peek of my newest Ruth book!
Chayele’s building finally came into sight. It still felt so strange seeing where Chayele now lived with her husband. It was like a different world from the Lower East Side. Friedrich had grown up in the Yorkville neighborhood with its German shops, bakeries and breweries. People here still walked around wearing traditional lederhosen and dirndls. For Ruth, it recalled her brief stay all those years ago in Germany with the smuggler– the kindness of Gerta, her ginger cookies and the taste of that golden, hoppy beverage for the first time.
Ruth had since tasted beer many times in America– most often right here in the many saloons of Yorkville with Chayele and Friedrich. But since Prohibition was declared, the distinctive and once prevalent smell of hops in the air was missing. Some of the breweries were trying to offer low alcohol content beers, but the taste was noticeably different and they weren’t catching on. Ruth noticed more shuttered saloons than before. She wondered how much longer the remaining saloons and breweries could hold out.
She entered Chayele’s building and climbed the stairs. The smooth banister felt like butter beneath her fingers, bringing to mind Tatty’s boasts about the architecture on their own “new” building. Yes, their new building had been a step up, for sure. But all the buildings up here on the Upper East Side made theirs look shabby in comparison. There was also just a different kind of tenant here in the building, more moneyed and put together.
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I often get asked why historical fiction? Why is historical fiction the genre I devour cover to cover? And why write historical fiction when it’s one of the most cumbersome, challenging genres to write? I think to answer that effectively, I first have to answer what is the history of historical fiction and how exactly do we define it?
A Complex Genre
Before we can examine the history of historical fiction, we need to discuss how to even define this genre as a whole.
Historical fiction is one of the trickiest genres to define. If you look it up anywhere you’ll get twelve different explanations. A genre of fiction that takes place in the past. A style of fiction whose events must take place at least fifty years agoetc. Those are the generic dictionary type definitions. To me, I think this is best answered by one of my favorite quotes by novelist Guy Vanderhaeghe. He says– “History tells us what people do: historical fiction helps us imagine how they felt.”
The History of Historical Fiction
The origin of historical fiction is also difficult to pinpoint for similar reasons. Historians and researchers have pointed to a few different origin points for the genre. For example, some have argued Homer and The Illiad (762 BCE) or Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Knight’s Tale (1476) could be origin examples.Others have pointed to Shakespeare’s Richard II (1597). Just like the varying definitions, interpretations are wide and varied on this point. Partly because these works would have been written during the time they take place rather in the past, so do they really qualify under current definitions? Depends who you ask… The only general consensus is that the genre has been around for awhile and continues to grow in popularity.
Where the History & Creativity Combine
So, why is historical fiction so popular? We always want to connect with the characters we’re reading about. But what if the character is based on someone who actually lived? That completely ups the stakes! Historical fiction not only allows us to learn about history, we get to experience it with the character. This blurring of fact and fiction is what makes the historical fiction genre special. It intrigues readers into wanting to google facts and learn more as they read.
The other thing that makes historical fiction special is it’s the only genre that’s all encompassing and inclusive of everyone and all tastes. You like spy action thrillers? Check out a spy action thriller that takes place during WWII and guess what- it’s still considered historical fiction! Romance? Check out Outlander and every other time travel or Regency historical romance on the shelves. If you google examples of historical fiction, you’ll find examples of every genre imaginable that just take place in the past.
Are you won over? Do you now feel you can not only defend historical fiction’s honor, but even understand why historical fiction is the best genre ever?
Historical Fiction Stats to Consider!
I’ll leave you with this to consider. Just over half (54%) of Americans read at least one book last year. Surprisingly, the largest age group who read? Millenials. 80% of respondents between the ages of 18-35 read a book in the last twelve months. And here’s the final kicker- Historical Fiction was the third most popular genre read, falling only after mysteries and fantasies. 25% of all respondents across the range of all ages read a historical fiction book last year. It was also one of the genres least influenced by gender, enjoyed by both men and women almost equally.
So, now do you see why I’m so fascinated/ obsessed with this genre? Thankfully, I’m not alone and I love to share. So, to enjoy some of my favorite historical fiction books check out my Book Lists page below! Enjoy!
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Welcome to IWSG Day. The goal of this blog hop is to share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. I hope this post accomplishes that for some. Here we go.
I’m an Author, Not a Brand.
Many writers shy away from establishing themselves as a brand. They associate branding simply as a means of tooting their own horn or worse yet, something that doesn’t apply to them. Instead of establishing an author brand, they ensure all focus is on a singular book. If your goal is to sell a book, is there anything wrong with that? Branding is about believing and establishing ourselves beyond your current book.
What Does it Mean to be a Brand?
We constantly hear about marketing and how important it is. But what about your author brand? What exactly is a brand and why is it important?
Let’s start by defining marketing. Marketing is defined as the activity of promoting and selling products or services. Simple enough, right? You want to sell your book- you need to market it. But one of the biggest mistakes I see authors make is thinking their marketing should focus solely on their book. That’s where your brand comes in.
Branding is how consumers identify you in the marketplace. Your brand supersedes one individual book. It’s a connection with your readers, a trust that when they see your name on a book there is a specific quality or experience that they expect from those books. In building your brand, you are establishing ALL of your books have a place on their bookshelf, not just one of them.
Why You Need an Author Brand
I recently had an intake coaching session with an author. While doing a website audit for her, I discovered that her website name was not her own name, but her book’s name. When I asked her what she’d do when she wrote a new book, she was stumped. “I hadn’t thought about that,” she admitted.
This is not uncommon for new authors. They’re understandably excited about launching their first book and all their efforts are on selling and marketing that book for success. However, you need to think about the long game. Hopefully, you WILL write more than one book and you’ll want readers to buy that book too. That’s where brand identity comes in.
What’s Brand Identity?
Brand identity is necessary for a business. It helps build loyalty and a trust in the style and quality of a book with your name on it. As a published author who has invested time and money into creating a product, you have launched your sales driven business. The identity you create for that business is in your hands.
You can do this by first determining what is the common theme in your current stories and what you want to write about in the future. For instance, I write historical fiction. I can see myself writing about different time periods and different kinds of people. But one thing I know my books will all have in common is that they’ll all be about women. And those women will be fighting for change. So, my brand identity? I write about women in history overcoming obstacles to fight for change. This is what I tell people when they ask about my books. It’s what I’ve built my website and social media platform messaging around. When readers find and follow me, they know exactly what to expect from my books.
Communicating Your Author Brand
Brand communication happens every time a consumer interacts with your brand. We need to build relationships with our readers and allow them to see our intended brand identity. I know some of you authors are shaking in your boots right now. The last thing most of us want to do is spotlight ourselves. That’s why we hide behind our books, right? But if we’re unwilling to open up and share who we are as an author, our books will languish and never get read. So, let’s see if we can find a comfortable way to normalize branding into how we communicate.
Work Your Livelihood into Conversations
I tell people I’m an author. I’m not saying I walk around introducing myself that way. But I do seize on natural opportunities to bring it into conversation. However, I don’t stop there, I am specific in that I am a historical fiction author, that I write about women in history overcoming obstacles to fight for change. Strong brand communication is intentional and constant. I do not want any reader to feel vague or confused about my products.
But if I am only focusing on branding, what about selling? The ultimate goal is that brand awareness converts to sales. With my books on Amazon, there’s an immediate opportunity to make a sale once I have communicated my brand. And as brand communication happens every time a consumer interacts with your brand, I ensure my Amazon products are branded. They are clearly identified as historical fiction in the product title and categories. When there’s an opportunity to communicate my brand, I take it. I’ve also made sure to perfect an elevator pitch of my products that of course references my brand.
Perfect Your Elevator Pitch
Have you ever been asked what your book is about and find yourself freezing or launching into a long-winded explanation where you can see the person’s eyes glazing over? We’ve all been there. That’s why it is crucial to master your elevator pitch synopsis. This is simply a two or three sentence description of your book. For me, I say- “I created a fictional character who escapes from Russia at the beginning of the revolution. She settles on the Lower East Side of New York and is involved in the 1909 Garment Worker’s Uprising. She’s then involved in the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire and its aftermath.“
My elevator pitch immediately ties in with my brand–historical fiction–and women overcoming obstacles. Using this elevator pitch and being nervy enough to bring my book up in conversation, I’ve not only gotten sales, I’ve landed speaking engagements, bookstore signings and invitations to and festivals other events. And furthermore, it helps me ensure the engagements I am booking align my author brand and put me in front of a relevant audience.
Branding Ourselves on Social Media
Ah, social media: the dreaded word. I find that one reason people have such apprehension about using social media to market is they don’t know what to post. For starters, you need to know that social media is not where you’ll sell books. Social media does not translate to sales. So why waste your time? What’s the purpose?
I will say it again: Brand communication happens every time a consumer interacts with your brand. If your social media is nurtured with a targeted purpose that follows your brand identity, social media can translate to an engaged audience who WILL sign up for your newsletter, like your posts, be your beta readers and early reviewers–and yes, some will also buy your books. But more importantly, they’ll be loyal because they feel like they know and care about your author brand.
Social media not only gives YOU the opportunity to communicate your brand, it gives others the opportunity to easily share your brand.That will go a lot further than one person who buys one of your books from Amazon or a shelf in a bookstore.
If you identify and communicate your author brand—you’ll be nurturing a loyal base of readers who will buy every book you ever write. You do the math.
Looking for more suggestions on how to build your author business? Check out my other blog posts.
Find more ways to spoil your inner bookworm!
Check out the Amaryllis Co. Shop, fully stocked with custom designs perfect for every book loving Amaryllis Girl! From shirts, mugs, wine glasses, and more, I have curated a shop with all of my favorites! SHOP HERE! You can also find my collection of bookish merchandise on Etsy.
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Shouldn’t we all get to learn while reading a good story? Check out these fantastic kids historical fiction titles!
Fantastic Reads in Kids Historical Fiction
We regularly cover our favorite general historical fiction reads. We’ve covered historical fiction for men. Now it’s time to cover Kids Historical Fiction reads. Join me for this special round up for National Reading Month! Enjoy!
Time Warp Trio by Jon Scieszka
Magic, time travel, history? These books have it all! And my kiddos could not stop laughing while they read them. Enjoy traveling to see King Arthur’s Court, pirates and cave men with the Time Warp Trio gang!
These books are on about a 2-4th grade level and have a Level P Guided Reading Level.
This is a special Civil War era Middle Grade novel. It offers a realistic immigrant experience and follows a brother and sister on their journey from Ireland to America to seek a better life. However, they find it’s definitely not as easy as they hoped.
Older sister, Kathleen accepts a job in service and attempts to keep her brother, Danny, from being drafted into the US Army as a drummer boy. Set during a period in NY when tensions were high, this book really highlights what it means to be a family and what one can consider a home?
This book targets a 5th-8th grade level and has a Letter W Guided Reading Level.
This beautiful picture book won the Coretta Scott King Illustrators award. And with good cause because the pictures really are breathtaking.
The story is also quite powerful.The main character is a young slave girl who witnesses and experiences all the emotions of heartbreak and hopefulness as her brother escapes for freedom.
Just prepare yourself if you have a little questioning empath, like my daughter, who had ALL the questions and deep emotions to discuss after reading.
This is a picture book targeting grades Preschool-3rd.
Ok, I need to start off by saying, I am NOT a Rush Limbaugh fan. So, I was skeptical when I first came across this series. But, it’s actually very cute and well written. My son, devoured these books and really did learn a lot of early American history and recited it back to us during a family trip to Colonial Williamsburg.
It’s another time travel story- this time with a magical horse named Liberty. The horse belongs to a teacher who is a descendant of Paul Revere. It honestly kind of reminds me of a cross between Magic School Bus and Magic Tree House with the teacher taking kids on “magical field trips” where they end up witnessing and participating in key historical events from the past.
These books are targeted for grades 2nd-5th and are on a Level R Guided Reading Level.
This is another darling Middle Grade book. Not going to lie, I definitely shed a few tears on this one! It’s a WWII story with it’s own heartfelt twist. A set of siblings is forced to evacuate London and live in the countryside. Their grandmother, who was their caretaker, unfortunately died right before they left, meaning they have no one to return to when the evacuation is over.
The children fear sharing this information because they do not want to be separated. Instead they decide to use the temporary evacuation to the country to be an opportunity to “shop” for their new permanent home, or place to hang their moon. It’s a sweet story that questions what do we look for in a home and caretaker? What are the traits that provide security and comfort? How do we know where we belong?
This book is for grades 4-7 and is on about a Level W Guided Reading Level.
Who played the Oregon Trail game as a kid? I know I did and loved it. Random aside, did you know they have board and card game versions of it now? We have the card game one and it’s one of our favorite family games!
But the Apples to Oregon story is a charming children’s picture book that exposes kids to the hardships and brave travelers on the Oregon Trail. But the story is told in a hilarious, tall tale way. It’s a fun read for the whole family.
This is a picture book targeting grades Preschool-3rd.
I hope you enjoyed this Kids Historical Fiction Book Round Up and it gave you some ideas to add to your collections. I’ll be sure to do another one in the future, because there are just WAY too many great options out there for one list!
If you liked this Kids Book Round Up, be sure to check out some of my other Children’s Book Blog Posts below!
Find more ways to spoil your inner bookworm!
Check out the Amaryllis Co. Shop, fully stocked with custom designs perfect for every book loving Amaryllis Girl! From shirts, mugs, wine glasses, and more, I have curated a shop with all of my favorites! SHOP HERE! You can also find my collection of bookish merchandise on Etsy.
Are you a VIP Member yet? If you’re interested in seeing Joyana’s Bonus content and ALL of her past newsletters make sure you sign up today! JOIN HERE.
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Today’s kids often want to do anything but read. So, how can we fix this? Join me to discuss how to get kids reading for National Reading Month!
How to Get Kids Reading
It’s National Reading Month. We’ve discussed plenty of books for YOU to read. But what about our kids? In a society where so many kids are obsessed with their tablets and phones, childhood reading statistics are plummeting. So, let’s discuss some strategies today for how to get kids reading.
Building Up Excitement Through Choice
I bribe my children with trips to the library or Barnes & Noble. This is a treat for our family. Granted, I’ve cultivated this over time. But, at this point the idea of an opportunity to run with free rein to pick any book they want off the shelves is held in high esteem.
But, I firmly believe this level of excitement can be cultivated at any age. There is a level of magic upon walking into a room full of books and taking the time to peruse and choose anything you want off the shelves. It allows children a feeling of autonomy and choice in a life where they often feel limited in control.
To fulfill that expectation, I try not to impose limits on these field trips. They are allowed to choose anything they want. I often say two books each so that there is a financial limitation (otherwise they’d walk out with the entire store.) But I do not put any limits on what two books they choose.
Treating Books Like Food
Although I allow my kids to choose whatever books they want on those field trip occasions, I do try to introduce “quality” reads into their “diet” as well. I have conversations with my kids about reading choices and offer the analogy of food choices. Some foods are considered “junk food- treats” and some foods are our healthy choices that fuel our bodies.
Books are like that too. There are our “junk food” choices that we can read sometimes. I do enjoy me a quick Rom-com from time to time. And our kids should be allowed to enjoy those Dog Man, Captain Underpants, Rainbow Fairies, and Magic Kittens choices occasionally too. Those are the gateway books that will get kids interested in picking up a book after all. But they’re not the ones that will increase vocabulary or offer the other benefits of reading.
To get those benefits I insist on rotating in other “classic” or higher level quality reads in as well like Charlotte’s Web, Matilda, Harry Potter and The Book Scavenger. They may be resistant at first, but there are ways to get buy-in and then over time it becomes second nature.
How to Incentivize “Better” Reading Choices Through Challenges
Kids love challenges. So, we sign up for summer reading challenges every year. This is where I often push the classics or more qualitative reads. It adds a layer to the challenge for them. There are SO many summer reading challenges out there. There are the local library ones. We also participate in the Pizza Hut Book-It Challenge each year. What kid wouldn’t want to earn free personal pizzas for reading books?
There’s also the Barnes & Noble Summer Reading Challenge where kids can earn free books, or the Scholastic one where kids can earn free digital experiences as well as free books as a donation for children in need.
Looking for a year round challenge? Try the Chuck E. Cheese Reading challenge which rewards kids all year with free playing time after turning in a reading log`.
One of our personal favorite reading challenges is on the Mensa for Kids website. You do NOT have to be a Mensa member to participate. I appreciate it because it not only gives kids a goal to strive for- completing the list of books, but it is also where I’ve gotten many of the ideas for more qualitative books. I just put books from the list on hold at the library and picked them up over time to add to the kids’ pile.
Incentivizing Through Quality Time
My kids are now almost ten and seven, yet we still read together at bedtime every night. This is also where I push the more “qualitative reads”. They can read whatever they want on their own, but at night together we read a chapter of something more substantial.
We continue this tradition for a variety of reasons. One, it continues to keep that family bond. It offers an opportunity for touching base on things that occurred throughout the day. But it also allows cuddle time and discussion about what happens in the book and how it can apply to real life topics and critical thinking. It also allows children to stretch and explore books that might be a step above their current reading level. With a parent there to help, that book can become manageable and our reader can still continue to grow and expand vocabulary.
I hope these tips offer ideas for you on how to get kids reading. Know that you’re not alone. In this technology driven time, even my once voracious reading kids need to be fought with to get off screens and crack open a book. As everything else with kids, it’s constantly evolving. But know, that later in life our kids will hopefully thank us for expanding their worlds through books.
Looking for more suggestions on how to get kids reading? Check out my other blog posts with with kids’ book suggestions
Find more ways to spoil your inner bookworm!
Check out the Amaryllis Co. Shop, fully stocked with custom designs perfect for every book loving Amaryllis Girl! From shirts, mugs, wine glasses, and more, I have curated a shop with all of my favorites! SHOP HERE! You can also find my collection of bookish merchandise on Etsy.
Are you a VIP Member yet? If you’re interested in seeing Joyana’s Bonus content and ALL of her past newsletters make sure you sign up today! JOIN HERE.
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Lucy Burns- American suffragette and woman’s rights activist.
Inspiration and Friendships
Lucy Burns advocacy efforts began when she spent time in the UK working with Emmeline Pankhurst and the Women’s Social and Political Union.She joined their protests and was arrested for the first time. While there, she also met activist Alice Paul. The two bonded over the inactivity of American suffragettes and their respect for the more militant strategies of the UK suffragette movement.
The Congressional Committee
Upon their return to the U.S, Burns and Paul became the heads of the Congressional Committee of the National American Women Suffrage Association. Both women felt strongly that the best way to ensure woman’s suffrage was to advocate on the federal level for a suffrage amendment.This was a controversial issue in the NAWSA with many willing to settle for guaranteed victories on the state level, while others wanted to “go big or go home” refusing to settle until there was a federal level victory of woman’s suffrage for all.
NAWSA leaders were nervous about approving the Committee or many of its proposed advocacy ideas. They did, at least, approve a suffrage parade which Burns and Paul organized for the day before newly elected Woodrow Wilson’s Inauguration Day. See my other blog post on the March on Washington for further details about this event. NAWSA’s one stipulation was that the Congressional Committee would receive no further funding from NAWSA. This was the beginning of Burns and Paul’s split from NAWSA.
Lucy Burns and The National Woman’s Party
Burns and Paul split from NAWSA and formed their own suffrage group called the Congressional Union. This caused further controversy and divisiveness within the suffrage movement. Many felt threatened by Burns and Paul’s more militant tactics and that they’d alienated political supporters. Eventually Burns and Paul created their own political party called the National Woman’s Party.They felt this was the best way to guarantee direct action in fighting for women’s rights. Their sole goal was the federal right to vote.
In 1917 the NWP led a protest in front of the White House. The women were called the Silent Sentinels and were arrested and sent to the Occoquan Workhouse.
Life in Prison
Burns and Paul led the arrested women in hunger strikes to continue protesting their cause from prison. She led a number of continued protests from prison including circulating a document that defined the status of a political prisoner and alerting the women to their rights. She was eventually put in solitary confinement.
Conditions worsened but the women refused to give up their cause. Eventually, Burns and the women were forced to face what became known as the “Night of Terror”.
The women were beaten and refused medical treatment. Burns continued to call out and reassure the other women despite numerous threats. Eventually guards handcuffed her hands over her head to her cell door and left her that way for the rest of the night. In solidarity, the rest of the suffragette prisoners all held their hands in the same position and stood there with her.
The Aftermath of the “Night of Terror”
After enduring the “Night of Terror” the women conducted another hunger strike for the following three days. The warden eventually moved Burns to another block and ordered her to be force fed. They required five people to hold her down and when she refused to open her mouth, they eventually forced a tube up her nostril.
The Final Push for Suffrage
Burns, Paul and other advocates continued to lobby for votes to pass the federal amendment for woman suffrage. They were once again jailed after another protest at the White House in 1918. After being treated horribly in prison again they were finally released shortly before the next election. They decided their sole focus needed to be on getting anyone in Congress who supported suffrage. This was the first time they focused on candidates outside the Democratic Party. It worked and they cost Democrats their majority in Congress.
By this point tensions between the suffragettes and Wilson were at an all-time high. He realized something needed to be done, especially after all the negative publicity from the protests, arrests and recent election. He requested a special assembly of Congress in May of 1919.
On May 21st the House passed the Susan B. Anthony amendment. The Senate passed it on June 4th. Although the amendment was passed, the suffragettes still had to make sure 3/4 of the states agreed to ratify it. Finally on August 18, 1920, Tennessee became the thirty-sixth state to ratify the Anthony Amendment. The quest for federal suffrage was finally over.
Lucy Burns’ Legacy
Of all the suffragettes from this era, Lucy Burns spent the most time in prison. Once Tennessee ratified the Amendment, Burns was quoted as saying “I don’t want to do anything more. I think we have done all this for women, and we have sacrificed everything we possessed for them, and now let them fight for it now. I am not going to fight anymore.” She retired from political life and spent the rest of her time with her orphaned niece until her death in 1966.
Lucy Burns was named an honoree by the National Women’s History Alliance in 2020. The Lucy Burn Museum also opened to the public in January 2020 at the former site of the Occoquan Workhouse where the “Night of Terror” took place. The museum commemorates Burns and the other suffragettes and their sacrifices in the fight for suffrage.
I am so honored to speak at the Lucy Burns Museum this weekend and honor these women for Women’s History Month. I hope you can join me or stay tuned for the replay of the event soon in my VIP Member section.
