Telephone Conference with Jennifer Holm, author of Boston Jane and My Only May Amelia.

The book club members, daughters and moms, had a telephone conference call with author Jennifer Holm.  Wow, what a nice person and great conversation between the daughters and Jenni (as she likes to be called).

We asked a lot of great, probing questions.  There will be a sequel to "My Only May Amelia" coming out in 2004 based on the "Wilbert" character.  The idea for "My Only May Amelia" came from her own history and family diaries.  She is one of five, the only girl with four brothers.

"Boston Jane" will be a trilogy - book #2 "Wilderness Days" is due out in September 2002 and book #3 "Boston Jane ..." is due out September 2003.  The idea for the book came from a book she read called "Three Years on Shoalwater Bay."  James Swan was a real figure from Boston.

Her favorite author is Lloyd Alexander and her favorite book is "The Black Cauldron."

Jenni recommended a few books to the girls (Star Girl by Jerry Spinelli; Alice books by Phyllis Naylor; Getting Near to Baby by Audrey Colombis).  The girls recommended their share of books to Jenni.

Jenni said her father is a retired pediatrician and Papa was based on him; Sally Biddle is based on a girl she knew when she was younger who was really mean and "not proper."

Jenni talked to the girls about doing research for her books and the need to have historical consultants. She said "Boston Jane" required historical consultants from Philadelphia, Pacific Northwest, maritime, and Chinook tribe.  She also needed to read and study etiquette books from the 1830s and 1840s.

She said it takes about 2 years to write one of her books and there is not a page limit but a word limit - usually 45,000 to 55,000 words (always under 60,000 words).

She said she was a liberal arts major in international studies at Dickinson College in Carlisle, PA.  She grew up in rural PA.  At age 25, she was a TV producer for commercials full-time when she started writing "My Only May Amelia."  Then she made a decision to become a full-time writer.  Now she is 33.  She is most proud of her first book "My Only May Amelia" because it was her first book.  Her father likes "Boston Jane."

Jenni encouraged the girls to keep reading and writing and not to be discouraged - sometimes when you want to give up, you just need to persevere.

We talked to Jenni for over 40 minutes !  What an cool experience !  She is really nice and interesting !