Jane was born in England, and grew up exploring
the history and culture of London and surrounding counties. After some time spent in Germany in the
1990’s she immigrated to Detroit, USA, eventually settling in South West
Florida. She returned to England after a fifteen-year absence, to spend six
years in the South West of England living on Exmoor. Here, inspired by the atmosphere, beautiful
scenery and the ancient history of the place, she began writing.
Jane is a trained horticulturist, and also
spent time working and volunteering for Britain's National Trust at Exmoor's
1000-year-old Dunster Castle. Gaining more insight into the history and
mysteries surrounding these ancient places, and having always been intrigued by
the supernatural, inspiration came for her fourth novel, The Beekeeper's
Daughter, a supernatural thriller.
Jane Returned to Florida in 2013, and lives in
Sarasota.
Mayra
Calvani: Please tell us about The Beekeeper’s Daughter,
and what compelled you to write it.
Your
Name: Jane Jordan - The
Beekeeper’s Daughter is my fourth novel.
My other books are primarily set in modern day, so I liked the idea of
writing in a different time period, especially the Victorian era. A time when vast
estates where owned and run by aristocrats and society’s elite, and when there
was such emphasis on class hierarchy.
I liked the idea of a romance between the higher
and lower class. Knowing that in Victorian times any such affair would have
been taboo. Although, Exmoor was so far
from the big cities of Bath and London, consequently, far away from the rules
of polite society. This gave me some
creative license to play around with.
Even so, the story had to ring true and I needed to address the issues
that any such liaison would have presented.
As the story developed I knew exactly how it
could work, and why Alex would be drawn to Annabel in the first place. Her beauty was not enough. There had to be another, a more powerful
connection, and this becomes startlingly clear as the story concludes.
M.C.:
What is your book About?
J.J.: The Beekeeper’s Daughter is a historical
romance set in the Victorian period. The location is on Exmoor, in the South
West of England. The story explores the
relationship between Annabel, ‘The Beekeeper’s Daughter’, and Jevan, the blacksmith’s
son. Their relationship is sensual and
dangerous, and Annabel’s ability to charm bees is the dark undercurrent in the
story.
When Jevan shatters her world by leaving Exmoor,
Annabel forms a friendship with Alex, a wealthy landowner and heir to the
foreboding Gothelstone mansion. But all is not as it seems. Evil intentions ensnare her into a dark
legacy, which will ultimately threaten the lives of those she loves most.
A devastating love triangle, an ultimate
betrayal and a diabolical intention lead Annabel to uncover a disturbing truth.
Then, she is forced to embrace her inherent power and destroy a powerful witch.
M.C.:
What themes do you explore in The
Beekeeper’s Daughter?
J.J.: I explore the lore regarding bee charming, life
on Exmoor in the Victorian era, especially the lives of the cottagers,
blacksmiths and wealthy landowners.
The city of Bath features as well as a Victorian
asylum.
The most fascinating aspect for me was the witchcraft
element, setting the perfect scene for a witch burning when the book begins,
and later, writing the transcript of an actual witch trial, from the 15th
century, which is uncovered towards the end of the book.
M.C.:
Why do you write?
J.J.:
I love to write. It’s a form of escapism from the real world and from the
stress of life. It transports me to another place and into the minds of the
characters I write about. Writing keeps
me sane when real life is difficult or too stressful.
M.C.:
When do you feel the most creative?
J.J.: When I am alone and it
is quiet, sometimes in the middle of the night is when I feel most creative.
M.C.:
How picky are you with language?
J.J.: I like wording to be accurate
for the time period. The witch trial transcript
is in old English. This was important as it gives an authentic feel to this
chapter and ultimately the book. Using old fashioned spellings and grammar,
helps create the mood of the scene.
M.C.:
When you write, do you sometimes feel as
though you were being manipulated from afar?
J.J.: No. The stories and ideas come from me. I draw on
experiences, old stories that have been handed down, or old legends and
folklore indicative to the places I write about.
M.C.:
What is your worst time as a writer?
J.J.: When I am roughly half
way through a book, by that time I have the beginning and the end, and know
what the story entails, but because my books tend to be complex in detail, I
have to make certain they completely make sense. Bringing every aspect together
is my biggest challenge. I do not like
to leave any question unanswered.
M.C.:
Your best?
J.J.: The moment the book is finished is an amazing
feeling of achievement, and knowing that all the hours of writing researching
and editing have been completely worthwhile.
M.C.:
Is there anything that would stop you
from writing?
J.J.: No. As long as I had a piece of paper and a pen,
I would write. In fact, sometimes when I
feel I have sat in front of a computer too long, I grab a notebook and write
long hand. It allows a different level
of creativity to emerge. With a computer
everything happens fast, whereas longhand allows your thought process to slow
down. Some of the best story lines I
have written started off in a notebook.
M.C.:
What’s the happiest moment you’ve lived as an author?
J.J.: My first three books
were self-published so the best day for me as an author was finally getting a traditional
publishing contract for The Beekeeper’s Daughter.
M.C.:
Is writing an obsession to you?
J.J.: It can’t be an obsession
because I have too many other responsibilities at the moment. But I would say that I need to write.
M.C.:
Are the stories you create connected
with you in some way?
J.J.: I
draw on personal experiences and my character’s traits are often based on
aspects of my personality, or from people I have known.
M.C.:
Ray
Bradbury once said, “You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy
you.” Do you agree?
J.J. Yes. Every aspect of life can bring a story out of
an author. I have written many short
stories just based on a significant moment in time, or a brief encounter with a
stranger. Stories are everywhere. Even
in the most mundane circumstances you can create an interesting point of view,
which can often develop into a whole plot.
M.C.:
Do you have a website or blog where
readers can find out more about you and your work?
J.J.: My website: janejordannovelist.com
