Saints Preserve Us! That’s an old Irish expression I grew up hearing from ancient aunts and uncles. They weren’t that far “off the boat,” you see and wanted to preserve their Irish heritage as best they could. Thank you, Aunt Norah, Aunt Mabel, Aunt Mamie, and Uncle Dan. Everybody knows about St. Patrick, right? […]
Month: April 2015
Ireland Today
I started traveling to Ireland ten years ago. It has become my (and my husband’s) favorite destination. Why? Well, for one thing, it’s so startlingly green! Yes, it’s green where I live in Western North Carolina and it was green where I used to live in upstate New York. But nothing I’ve ever seen […]
Dreams of My Childhood
I always just plain wanted to write. As a kid, I was constantly writing–poetry, essays, short stories, jingles. The problem was that no one could read it. Sometimes, even me. That’s because the Sisters at St. Raphael Elementary School in Springfield, Ohio decided I shouldn’t be left handed and switched me over in first grade. When […]
Shanty Evil…an Interview with Elizabeth Bradshaw
JC: So, Elizabeth, why did you choose Mary Boland upon sight at the Harbor in Queensbury? EB: Look, ducks, she was a pretty thing. So dirty I couldn’t stand near her for the stink, but I got an eye, I do. Under all that dirt was something I could sell. JC: Sell? […]
Naming Characters in Historical Fiction
Naming characters can be tricky. I’m sure there are a thousand books on how to do it, but I’ve not read them. You see, there’s a book for every step of the writing process. If I took the time to read them, I’d never get any writing done. When it came to […]
How Long Does it Take to Write a Novel?
People ask how long it took me to write Shanty Gold. It’s roughly 380 pages and covers four pivotal years in the life of Miss Mary Boland, Irish immigrant. Believe it or not, it’s a tough question to answer. I began writing a novel in earnest roughly ten years ago. It was called Daughters […]
What Inspired SHANTY GOLD?
I’ve always wanted to be a writer. Made my living writing radio and TV commercials for years. But when you must make money to educate four young girls, there’s no way you can do that spending years writing a novel. But I had to write Shanty Gold. It was demanded of me from the […]
Shanty Gold Has a Face. And it’s Irish!
Trying to find the best face for Shanty Gold has been challenging. While working with Genene, the publisher’s artist, we batted around close to a hundred ideas before we settled on what we think is the perfect cover. Some were mysterious—some subtle—some scary—and some a bit too romance-y. Then, we nailed it. So, […]
Ten Cool Things I learned While Writing SHANTY GOLD
10. After three hours in front of a computer, my butt hurts. 9. After six hours in front of a computer, I want to drink profusely. 8. The subjects I can write about are infinite. 7. Blogs are a lot more fun than novels. 6. I cannot outline a novel. I’ve […]