More About The Author
J HELEN ELZA
While on my Way to Writing
Life doesn't come with a predetermined blueprint or a roadmap dictating our journey from the start. As a child, Elza’s wildest dreams never hinted that she would one day become a writer. Growing up as the second of ten siblings—and the eldest of three daughters—she was steeped in domestic responsibilities. Expectations leaned toward practical roles, such as running a nursery, managing a daycare, taking in laundry, or, at the height of ambition, working as a cook or housekeeper. These tasks, performed daily at a relentless pace, shaped her early years. Yet, Elza’s career path veered far from those assumptions, unfolding like a hopscotch game with unexpected leaps. She worked as an assembly line technician and as a legal administrative assistant. She even crisscrossed the USA and Canada behind the wheel of a Freightliner Classic XL, its 550 Cat engine humming at 75 mph whenever the road allowed. Writing, though, whispered in constant, unspoken words, “you are not doing what you are supposed to be doing.” In elementary school, it was a playful experiment; in high school, her personal stories and newspaper pieces earned laughs and praise. Later, at UT Austin, her essays caught the attention of English professors, planting seeds she didn’t yet recognize. It was an improbable encounter, under the most unexpected circumstances, that set her true course. That moment ignited a path that Elza now follows with heart, soul, and an unwavering passion for the craft. The full story awaits in the author’s note of Rosemillion.
Life doesn't come with a predetermined blueprint or a roadmap dictating our journey from the start. As a child, Elza’s wildest dreams never hinted that she would one day become a writer. Growing up as the second of ten siblings—and the eldest of three daughters—she was steeped in domestic responsibilities. Expectations leaned toward practical roles, such as running a nursery, managing a daycare, taking in laundry, or, at the height of ambition, working as a cook or housekeeper. These tasks, performed daily at a relentless pace, shaped her early years. Yet, Elza’s career path veered far from those assumptions, unfolding like a hopscotch game with unexpected leaps. She worked as an assembly line technician and as a legal administrative assistant. She even crisscrossed the USA and Canada behind the wheel of a Freightliner Classic XL, its 550 Cat engine humming at 75 mph whenever the road allowed. Writing, though, whispered in constant, unspoken words, “you are not doing what you are supposed to be doing.” In elementary school, it was a playful experiment; in high school, her personal stories and newspaper pieces earned laughs and praise. Later, at UT Austin, her essays caught the attention of English professors, planting seeds she didn’t yet recognize. It was an improbable encounter, under the most unexpected circumstances, that set her true course. That moment ignited a path that Elza now follows with heart, soul, and an unwavering passion for the craft. The full story awaits in the author’s note of Rosemillion.
Say “Welcome Back!” to Your Favorite Returning Author
It was late November, 2014. From her home in Florida, Elza made wedding plans and a new writing schedule when got a call from a Nashville hospital. “We just delivered a newborn; you have 72 hours to pick him up or we will turn him over to the state.” At age 66, Elza left the title fiancée, the fiancé, “Babe, I love kids but I’m not raising one”, and the new writing schedule behind and headed for Nashville. Halfway there, she realized she had no car seat, no baby bottle, no diapers, nothing for a newborn! She was reminded, too, that, being a widow with no immediate family in the area, she would be raising this newborn alone. How could that possibly change her writing schedule?
It was late November, 2014. From her home in Florida, Elza made wedding plans and a new writing schedule when got a call from a Nashville hospital. “We just delivered a newborn; you have 72 hours to pick him up or we will turn him over to the state.” At age 66, Elza left the title fiancée, the fiancé, “Babe, I love kids but I’m not raising one”, and the new writing schedule behind and headed for Nashville. Halfway there, she realized she had no car seat, no baby bottle, no diapers, nothing for a newborn! She was reminded, too, that, being a widow with no immediate family in the area, she would be raising this newborn alone. How could that possibly change her writing schedule?
Elza’s writing schedule did not change; it vanished. Being a sixty-something while living the life of the twenty-somethings can be daunting. Living alone in a rural community one-hour, one-way from anything that can be called a metropolitan center while raising a newborn to age ten provides challenges sufficient to test the grit and determination of any youthful caretaker, handy man, homemaker, lawn and gardener and chauffeur. Add to that a six-and-a-half-acre property with a one-acre pond and lighted fountain that require year-round maintenance plus two dogs, one cat and an ever-changing intrusion of curious or hungry wildlife. According to the author, “nothing can splinter your concentration faster than a territorial cat defending her food dish from a determined raccoon.”
NOTES FROM JACOBS POND
Returning to writing after a ten-year absence has its challenges. Readers have forgotten you, the current websites are minimalist, tailored to a 3-second attention span, "If your site doesn't load in 20 seconds, readers will click on the next site." J. Helen Elza is anything but minimalist. In her own words, “I'm more the "let's have another cup of coffee and talk for a couple of hours type.” Missing interacting with her fans, she is pleased to announce her return to writing. During her hiatus, she made changes to her existing books. She renamed Hard Mountain to Finding Family and also changed the cover of her debut children’s book, Miracle.
Returning to writing after a ten-year absence has its challenges. Readers have forgotten you, the current websites are minimalist, tailored to a 3-second attention span, "If your site doesn't load in 20 seconds, readers will click on the next site." J. Helen Elza is anything but minimalist. In her own words, “I'm more the "let's have another cup of coffee and talk for a couple of hours type.” Missing interacting with her fans, she is pleased to announce her return to writing. During her hiatus, she made changes to her existing books. She renamed Hard Mountain to Finding Family and also changed the cover of her debut children’s book, Miracle.
