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Big Day for my Books!

7/31/2013

It was a big day for me! One of my last for the summer, and one that marked a wrap up of lots of work. I successfully completed breaking my Shakespeare's Witch book into three parts, found some great editors, learned how to post on Create Space and to create bookcovers using BookCoverPro. I've also started looking at marketing strategies and today ordered bookmarks and business cards. I have five books being reviewed in Create Space and I've ordered one proof. I'm so excited! I can't wait to start gifting them out!

Based on some advice I received from another historical writer, I've divided Shakespeare's Witch into three parts. Readers can order parts individually or get the entire book. Everything will be offered in print and e-book form. I'm on schedule to have everything ready for sale on Amazon by September 1st, 2013. I love the idea that they're coming out in 2013 - so appropriate for a "witch" series!
Thanks to everyone for your patient support. I promise, book 2 will not take nearly so long!!!

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Henry VIII's Lost Palaces

7/23/2013

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I love youtube!. No, really! I LOVE YOUTUBE! The more I use it the more I realize how much more there is to use! I've hit a section in my writing where I really need to know about Elizabethan castles and palaces. The only trouble is that the original structures from that time are substantially changed or demolished altogether. I stumbled on this eight part series of archaeologists that are exploring possible ruins of five of Henry's prominent palaces. It turns out that Henry did A LOT of building. If you need to get a feel for the size, grandeur and purpose behind these buildings, this is a great series to view. Archaeologists have an amazing feel for these places. Must be all the dirt under their fingernails!!!

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Lavender Festival!

7/16/2013

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I had am amazing weekend! My dear friend, Lisa, invited me to join her on a trip to Mona, Utah, to visit Young Living Lavender farms. It was beautiful and I was astounded to realize this wonderful facility is located so near Salt Lake. The lavender fields, of course, were amazing. The festival offered loads of fun! A tea party was available in a huge gazebo. You could also witness jousting near the back of the facilities. I made a lavender wreath and we enjoyed lavender lemonade lavender cookies, and missed out on the lavender ice cream (it was sold out). There were also pony rides and wagon tours through the area.

The highlight was a tour of their essential oil facilities where I learned how they distill the oils. It was a process I had much more respect for once I saw that they steamed the herbs to extract plant oils. This was contrary to my assumption that herbs were steeped in oils. Once you see the complexity of the process, you appreciate the cost. Because this is new information, I've located some you tube videos that share some of what I learned. I also took some fun photos! Be aware that the "business" aspect is a MLM business plan. You may have friends already who are distributors!

Wish you could smell the lavender!

Distillery.

Tea Party for fairy princesses!

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FEEDBACK PLEASE!

7/12/2013

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Dear Friends - I'm trying to tie down possible covers for my book. Part I, "Never Quenching Fire," has two looks and I'd love to know what you think. I'm still learning how to set up 'polldaddy', so in the meantime, comments to this post will have to do. The two options are below. Which one would make you want to buy the book? If you can think of suggestions, I'm getting better at setting up the design.
Thanks for your help!!!
Jodee

Bookcover Option #1

Bookcover Option #2

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Quill Pens

7/11/2013

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The trouble with spending days writing is that it's easy to get sidetracked researching really interesting stuff. I needed to know what they used to call an ink well and stumbled across this amazing site, Medieval Writing. Edward Ching, an artist who specializes in pen and ink, has created this amazing video showing how he makes feather quills. It's a fascinating process and much more complex than I thought. The site credits Regia Anglorum for the initial information and provides more detail information on this link. Thanks to those who contributed to this abundance of information!
Enjoy!!!

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Purslane - the Forgotten Vegetable

7/7/2013

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I've been neglecting my garden, so I made a determined effort to get out and at least clear the tomatoes. I was delighted to see a healthy crop of purslane was attempting to take over my garden. Many people look at this plant as a weed, which is unfortunate. It's considered a vegetable in many cultures, can be eaten raw, steamed, and stir-fried. It's great roughage and extremely nutritious AND it has a very mild flavor. It's been compared to spinach.
I first learn about it years ago during one of my herb classes. I ran into it again later when I learned about my high cholesterol levels. It was recommended for its Omega 3 content. It's also high in vitamins C and A.
The best part is that it shows up EVERYWHERE! I let it grow last year and this year I'm harvesting more than I can eat.
Look for a low lying plant with fleshy leaves along thick stems. It grows in any kind of soil, though it seems to be particularly fond of my garden soil, and it takes off near the end of June. The flowers are small, yellow blooms. Next time you see it, don't be so fast to yank it out, or at least save the plants you pull for your next salad!

My harvest!

Purslane in bloom.

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Writer's Guide to Everyday Life in Renaissance England

7/1/2013

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I want to keep adding to my reference library, mainly as a way to thank other authors who've compiled the information that allows me to write historical fiction.
I wish I'd had "Writer's Guide to Everyday Life in Renaissance England, by Kathy Lynn Emerson, earlier. It would have save huge amounts of time. The books is well organized and is packed with detailed information on all aspects of Renaissance England. I've been researching this period for years and still find much I didn't know. It also clarifies some of the things I've found difficult to research. For example, there's an excellent list of alternative cosmetics to ceruse, which I found very interesting.
"Writer's Guide..." was first published in 1996 by Writer's Digest Books in Cincinnati Ohio. I highly recommend this book to all of your period writers out there! It's an excellent addition to my research library!

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Author

Jodee Steffensen
AKA
J.D. Steffensen

Jodee (J.D.) Steffensen

Historical and Romance Writer, Amateur Herbalist, and Seeker of adventure, new knowledge and all things good!

Hobbies? I've adored cats all my life. I came to love Shakespeare when I was introduced to him in college. I developed an interest in herbs when a dear friend was diagnosed with cancer. I learned about the complex politics of Shakespeare's world when another friend gave me a book, "Shadow Play," by Clare Asquith.

Big Day for my Books!

Henry VIII's Lost Palaces

Lavender Festival!

FEEDBACK PLEASE!

Bookcover Option #1

Bookcover Option #2

Quill Pens

Purslane - the Forgotten Vegetable

Writer's Guide to Everyday Life in Renaissance England

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