From Past to Pages: Crafting Historical Narratives with Janis Robinson Daly

This episode of Jacqui Just Chatters features a conversation with Janice Robinson Daly, an author who delves into her ancestral history and how it inspired her to write her historical novel, 'The Unlocked Path'. Janice discusses her foray into genealogy, focusing on her paternal grandmother’s mysterious past and her discovery of a family legacy intertwined with the abolitionist movement and women's education rights. The conversation also covers how these discoveries led to Janice writing her book, her process of integrating historical facts with fiction, and glimpses into her next project. Additionally, Janice talks about the value of community among authors, her initiative of promoting women’s historical fiction during Women's History Month, and rekindling family connections through genealogy research.

Info/links for Janis:

The Unlocked Path is available on Amazon in paperback, Kindle and Audible formats. It's also on BN.com. Folks can also ask their local independent bookstore or library to order it through Ingram Distributors. The Path Beneath Her Feet releases September 5, 2024, also from Black Rose Writing. 

The survey for Women's History Month - to add suggestions for 2025 and be entered to win one of the books from 2024 https://us20.list-manage.com/survey?u=a032c3f5608248aaa0896e0d3&id=ed00d6142e&attribution=false

Janis loves to join book clubs for an author chat in person or over Zoom. She also has a book club kit available on my website. 

PowerPoint Presentation (janisrdaly.com)

Folks can also connect with Janis through her website: www.janisrdaly.com and subscribe to her monthly newsletter. Newsletter | Janis Daly (janisrdaly.com)

On Facebook @janisrobinsondalyauthor

On Instagram @janisrdaly_writers

Do you have a story idea or thoughts about the episode? Connect with Jacqui at the following.

www.JacquiLents.com

FB: @ Jacqui Lents Author  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100069970208082 

IG: @JacquiLents

YouTube: @JacquiLents

Music used for this episode includes –

Ratatouille's Kitchen - Carmen María and Edu Espinalfound

Always – Nesrality

Transcript

Janis Final Product Transcript

Jacqui: [00:00:00] Hello, my friends. Gustav Mahler said, Spring won't let me stay in this house any longer. I must get out and breathe the air deeply again. Clearly, he didn't live in Michigan. Our temps have dropped recently, and there have been sightings of white stuff out of my windows. Not that I'm complaining. This feels like the March I'm familiar with.

I know down south, real spring is bursting into color. I've always thought if you want to see an outstanding spring, you need to head down south. Of course, us northern states have the autumn on the horizon. All locked up makes for a good reason to travel. However, you won't need to pack a bag journey with me today.

Author Janice Robinson Daly takes us on a trip through genealogy to discover a fascinating past. [00:01:00] I hope you stick around to hear her story. Also afterwards, I have an announcement about my story share series for 2024. Welcome to Jacqui Just Chatters. Thank you for joining me. I'm your hostess, Jacqui Lents, and I'm trying to make the world a little better, one story at a time.

Whimsical episodes come out every other Tuesday. What's your story? If you've got one, reach out via my website. Now let's get chatting.

Welcome back, my friends. Today, I'm chatting with Janice Robinson Dailey, author of the historical novel, The Unlocked Path. She is a Boston gal through and through with a degree in psychology from Wheaton College and a career in marketing and sales. Janice, thank you for making time to talk to me today.

Thanks so much for having me, Jacqui. I'm looking forward to our chat. After our earlier conversations, I [00:02:00] am so happy to have you on the show. Let's begin with you sharing a little about yourself. Who is Janice Robinson Daley? 

Janis Robinson Daly: First and foremost, as you said, I am a Boston gal through and through, born, raised, educated, lived here my whole life.

Uh, but I, um, started on a journey about six years ago now, uh, when my youngest son was getting ready to graduate college and I was still, Starting to feel the hints of that empty nest syndrome, settling in that now what do I do because I've been very involved. My husband and I both in our sons, not only education, but they played sports from the age of five, all the way through college.

So we were traveling from Massachusetts to Pennsylvania, where they both went to college almost every weekend. Spr, uh, spring for lacrosse and then fall for football and got quite wrapped up in all of it, but enjoyed every second. [00:03:00] But as the end of the football season and career was coming to an end, and I was like, Oh, what am I going to do for the next 10 weekends in my fall?

If I'm not tailgating and cheering on a team. So I decided. I need a new hobby and unfortunately I didn't think of picking up a tennis racket or a golf club and getting active or getting into Pilates. I decided I'm going to finally look into the family history that I didn't know anything about. And that was primarily my paternal grandmother's family.

It was my paternal grandmother, Elizabeth. Pierce, Elliot Robinson, that I didn't know much about at all. And she was always a mystery to me. She came from Philadelphia, but how she got from Philadelphia to Boston to meet my grandfather, get married at the ripe old age of 32, an old maid

[00:04:00] back in 

Janis Robinson Daly: the early 1900s.

That was almost, yeah, 

Jacqui: that is, um, 

Janis Robinson Daly: Yeah. Very 

Jacqui: interesting. 

Janis Robinson Daly: And I had one small portrait of her that my dad had given me. And she was a quite attractive woman. And she came from a very well to do family in Philadelphia. It's like, well, what, why, what, no, I didn't she find anybody or anybody didn't find her. So I decided to poke into discovering more about her and really didn't turn up much at all.

Although once I started. Going back past her maiden name of Elliot into her middle name, which was her mother's maiden name of Pierce, then I started to make some discoveries that the pierces in Philadelphia. We're a quite prominent family headed by her grandfather, my great great, uh, William Shannon Pierce, [00:05:00] who was a lawyer, and then judge in Philadelphia in the mid 1800s.

Wow. Discovered, not only was A lawyer became involved in the abolitionist movement, which was very strong in Philadelphia, and he defended runaway slaves who were captured and tried. Oh my goodness! You know, under the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, runaway slaves that made it as far as Philadelphia. If they were captured, they were tried and most often sent back to their owners, but he defended them and won almost every case that he was defending.

So that was pretty cool. I was very proud to know that I had an ancestor like that in my family, that a gentleman that believed in the rights of the African Americans and then [00:06:00] started to dig deeper. And found a lot more information about him finally finding one last sentence of his entry on famous Americans like actually that said he was a founder of the Women's Medical College of Pennsylvania.

And I believe that because I was yeah, they were women's medical colleges what certainly I knew that women in the 1800s and before were quite often denied any further education, much beyond eighth grade or. Some into high school, but certainly women's colleges started in the 1800s, just so that women could be access to higher education.

And I went to a women's college, Wheaton College in Massachusetts, and really thought that, wow, I want to learn more about the women who were brave [00:07:00] enough to go to medical school and persevere in that time when they were denied admission to most of the medical schools in the country. And only less than 5 percent of all doctors in the country were women at the time in the late 1800s.

Jacqui: When did the college Start. What was the first year for that medical college? 

Janis Robinson Daly: 1850. So at the same time that my great great grandfather was defending the rights of the runaway slaves, he was involved in the rights of women. To be educated. And he had seven daughters. Wow. He was probably influenced perhaps at home or encouraged them to be educated themselves.

So that was pretty cool. And the more I started to dig into this college, and then I started to meet actual graduates of the college that became [00:08:00] doctors. Wow. I was like, Oh my goodness. These women need to be celebrated. They need to be honored. Their achievements have been in the shadows of history.

Somebody needs to tell their story. I guess it's going to be me. So I decided to write a book. Now, 

Jacqui: did any of his seven daughters end up going to this college? I, 

Janis Robinson Daly: I researched each one through the archival material of the college, and I could not find that any of them went. And of the seven daughters, only three married, four were unmarried women, yeah, and lived at the home address that I found through the census reports in Philadelphia.

That helped shape my book as well, because my fictional character. Is greatly influenced by some made in odds. Who I all gave [00:09:00] professions thinking that they, I bet the judge believing in women's education did encourage them to explore some type of profession. So I, so I made that part up, but I gave them.

Jobs, but yeah, it was fascinating family history. You never know what you're going to find. I did find only one came up in any initial research that it appears. And I'm just going off of the alignment with the spelling of the name, because Pierce in my family is P E I R C E. So fairly unusual spelling.

And the first name was a Florence that I believe. She must've been one in the same that was an art teacher at a settlement house in Boston. So that was cool too. 

Jacqui: Yeah, absolutely. Now, why did you pick genealogy to [00:10:00] be your hobby, the thing that you were gonna like basically find fulfillment with? Like I like genealogy.

I have spent way too many hours digging into my family or my husband's family's past. And I know I love history. And for me, Learning about the past is even better through people's lives and stories. So that's what I like it. What got you into deciding this was going to be the thing? 

Janis Robinson Daly: Yeah, I've always been interested in history for a while.

I thought I'd be a history major in college until I started to think, what am I going to do with a history degree? It's 

Jacqui: legit. 

Janis Robinson Daly: But I think it was just wanting to learn more to find that connection. This grandmother, I never knew her. She passed five years before I was born. So they were just always these mysteries about her.

And I never took the time to ask my dad about her before my dad passed. I was only 29 when I [00:11:00] lost my dad. So still fairly young and stupid that I didn't think to ask. probe him more about that part of his family, my family. And I just got fascinated. And the more kind of branches of the tree I was finding, I just got swallowed into the rabbit hole and kept making little discoveries that I thought were really cool.

Jacqui: I hope you are enjoying this episode of Jacqui Just Chatters. I would like more people to join our community here, and you can help. Most people learn about podcasts from word of mouth, so tell your friends or post about the program on your social media. Also, shows with more positive reviews and five star ratings get wider promotion on apps.

Leaving a quick five stars or mentioning why you like the show makes a difference. Together we can spread those positive vibes. Jacqui Just Chatters. Thanks again for listening. I'm grateful for you. Now back to the [00:12:00] show. The research turned into a book and that was one way it impacted you. Were there any other ways that doing all this research and learning about the family history, were you making connections or did it, how did it transform you besides just writing the book?

Janis Robinson Daly: My dad's side of the family, fairly small. He only had one brother and he had some first cousins that he was very close to, basically grew up with them in the same neighborhood. But he and his brother were estranged most of their adult life. And I knew I had two first cousins from my uncle and his daughter, his oldest daughter is actually 20 years older than me.

She would have been alive and known my grandmother that I didn't know. And so I thought as I'm starting this research, I'm like, man. I wish I knew that first cousin, but all I knew was her first name [00:13:00] and her maiden name of Robinson. I put it out to some second cousins and that I was writing this book and did anybody else have any history about the pierces and I, I have, I have.

One second cousin that sent me some materials and then he sent results of having done the ancestry DNA test and said, is this woman Carolyn, your first cousin, you think? And so she had done the Ancestry DNA test too, and so I found her last name, and she goes by now, and, and found her, and connected, and met her.

I thought, okay, I'm not going to just call her out of the blue, even though I found her phone number. I'll just, I'll send her a note. And tell her who I am, what I'm doing, and what she wanted me. She called me the next day after getting my note and invited me to her home. My brother and I went and met her and [00:14:00] Neither one of us really knew the impetus for the rift between our fathers, but she, yeah, she pulled out an entire box that been in her attic for 30 years.

And they were photographs of our shared grandmother, of our fathers as children, just other little Pieces of these handkerchiefs of my grandmother, some costume jewelry, and she shared some stories with me about our grandmother. It was amazing. So, you know, those DNA tests, you might find people you don't want to know exist.

Surprises. I've heard various people, yes, talk about the surprises. So, yeah, so that part of kind of the genealogy story really came together nicely and we stayed connected now and correspond and I've seen her a couple of other times since then and she even [00:15:00] has family heirlooms, some antique pieces in her home and everything.

So that's been really cool. It's so wonderful 

Jacqui: that you've reconnected with family over this. So you're doing this research and you find these amazing people and you are now inspired to turn this into a book. What was the transformation like towards moving this to a book and adding fiction plus truth?

What was your journey like? 

Janis Robinson Daly: I don't have any writing. Creative writing background, certainly business writing, but beyond a couple of required English classes in college at a liberal arts school, um, no creative writing. So I decided I better at the bare minimum, take a class. So I was able to enroll in an online creative writing class, which was great foundation to learn the basics at the same [00:16:00] time, doing more research, doing more research about the college, about the, Women reading other fiction books of that had themes that I knew I wanted to have introduced into my story that strong sisterhood idea among the women students.

I didn't really do an outline per se, but just sitting down and envisioning different scenes and then starting to link them together. And then being historical fiction, also using. Some of the amazing events in history that occurred when I was setting the book, which is 1897 to 1920. So a very rich period of historical events, you know, World War I and the suffrage movement that was so active.

Sounds fantastic. 

Jacqui: What did you enjoy the most? About writing the book, 

Janis Robinson Daly: probably [00:17:00] trying to get into the character's head and making sure that they were distinct personalities. So really trying to craft them so that they became relatable and we're true to their character throughout the book. So with one character who's My main character's best friend and confidant and classmate.

She's based on a real person, uh, Olga Pavinsky that I read about. And I knew from my research about Olga that I thought she had a sharp wit. So I wanted to play up on that and make sure that throughout the book, she would, she could be a little sarcastic, but she could have fun. And she would also be the, a little bit of the straight shooter to my main character who might, Come off as a little flighty sometimes.

And the same thing with another classmate who [00:18:00] was based on a woman who became a surgeon. I needed her to be very precise and straight and narrow, like a surgeon, focused. So keeping the characters true to themselves throughout the book. I really enjoyed that. 

Jacqui: Did your degree in psychology, did you find that help you with creating and defining your characters?

Did you end up like using that or no? 

Janis Robinson Daly: Certainly. Just understanding basic human motivations, right? And needs certainly always influences a character. What is their true goal here? And what motivates them to achieve that goal? So I think definitely. Now I've seen other writers who will go as far as to look at The standard personality tests that psychologists will use and they'll use that to define their characters.

Now, I never thought about that. 

Jacqui: [00:19:00] Yeah. I could see how that could be helpful. Where can people find your book? 

Janis Robinson Daly: Sure. Certainly Amazon paperback. Kindle and audible are all available on Amazon, as well as Barnes and noble. com, but you can ask any independent bookstore to order it for you. It is available through Ingram distribution so any independent bookstore can access it libraries.

Can order it. I'm actually in probably close to 30 library systems across the country right now and but libraries can always order it as well Um, and I make signed copies available if people want to get a hold of the through my website, which is just janus J A N I S R daily, D A L Y dot com. 

Jacqui: I'm going to have links to all of this stuff in the episode notes.

Speaking of links, I want to talk about your [00:20:00] Facebook page and this thing you do in March that my friend, Karen Fonte, who connected us together. From her podcast, bookish flights. She was telling me about this fabulous thing you do about women in March. So tell us about what you've got going on your Facebook page.

Janis Robinson Daly: March is women's history month. And so I decided last year that I would put together a curated list, 31 titles to read. For Women's History Month. Uh, so 31 historical fiction. I wanted to stick to one genre and all by women authors to celebrate women. So on every day of the month, I feature a different book from that list.

It's been really cool because once I settled on the list, usually by the end of December, I then contacted. The [00:21:00] 30 other authors whose book was on my list and gave them some tools. So in an effort really to raise all boats, if you will. So I 

Jacqui: think that is 

Janis Robinson Daly: such a wonderful thing. Everybody can share the hashtag hashtag 31 titles, women in history, share their book, but then also share information about All the other books on the list, point people to my website where they can access the, the list and print it out.

Even I've got a downloadable people can print out and have handy or take with them to the bookstore or library. I've made some fabulous connections with other authors. That has been a true pleasure and to see it take off a little bit when people are sharing it is, has been great. 

Jacqui: Do you solely research and look for the books and choose them?

Or do you get people saying, Oh my gosh, I, I know [00:22:00] this great book. You should think about adding it to your list. Is it a solo project or are you getting help? 

Janis Robinson Daly: Oh, I definitely need help because I can't research and look for all of them. And I want to know books that. People have enjoyed so that they must be a good book.

And so I do actually have open right now. And I'll have it open through the first part of April. And I'll give you the link for this one too. I have a survey that people can fill out and tell me which books have you read, which books are you adding to your to be read pile? Do you have any recommendations?

For my 2025 list and people that complete the survey actually I'm giving away up to some random drawings at the middle of April because I got review copies from almost all the authors. So I'm going to pass those forward and, uh, and give those away to, [00:23:00] to folks that answer, um, the survey. 

Jacqui: Now, do the books have to be like from the last year or can they be a few years old?

It's just. 

Janis Robinson Daly: Yeah, no, definitely. They can be a few years old. No, definitely don't have to be new books. And in fact, It's again, finding those books that maybe haven't gotten as much recognition, um, some of those authors who aren't with the big presses. And so their books haven't gotten the recognition and awareness, but they've written incredible stories about incredible women and more people need to know about them.

Jacqui: Wonderful. I'm excited to go fill out your survey now. 

Janis Robinson Daly: Great. What is your next step? Our next step is there is a sequel coming out to the Unlocked Path in the September 5th this year, The Path Beneath Her [00:24:00] Feet. It will continue the story of my main character, Eliza Edwards, bringing her into The next chapters of her life, it will be set in the 1930s and 40s.

Man, talk about an 

Jacqui: exciting period. 

Janis Robinson Daly: Yeah, so more great history to pull upon. Eliza in the first book is starting medical school at the age of 18, which you could do young student, young graduate, young. Woman doctor, the turn of the 20th century, but now by the thirties and forties, she's a mature woman. And what does that look like for us?

And we don't often have as many mature protagonists in fiction. 

Jacqui: Oh, I agree that I, Yeah, middle age. It's not things don't stop happening to you once you're not done 

Janis Robinson Daly: yet. And now I'm trying to start concepting what's next, because I'll [00:25:00] be done with these characters, and probably even with this subject matter I want to kind of talk about.

I'm going to go beyond now and find something else. 

Jacqui: Sounds like you need to hit the genealogy charts again. 

Janis Robinson Daly: Maybe. Do some more research. 

Jacqui: You never know where that next inspiration is going to come from. I want to wish you all the luck on your new book and your website. You've got a lot going on. It's amazing.

You've been a wonderful guest. Thank you so much for sharing your, uh. History of Cape Cod with me personally, and telling your delightful story to my listeners. So thank you very much for being here. Thanks so much, Jacqui. I really enjoyed chatting with you. I love doing this podcast. It gives me the opportunity to meet and talk with wonderful people like Janice.

I am so honored by all of those who are [00:26:00] willing to share their stories with me. I think they are one of the best gifts one person can give another. I'm looking forward to sharing plenty more on this show. I love hearing your stories, and here's an opportunity for all you storytellers. I'm announcing the schedule for the StoryShare series on this program for 2024.

And to be clear, you do not have to be a professional writer to submit, by the way. Lots of everyday people have amazing stories. Here are the themes and dates for the year. Our next theme is endings. This could be the end of a relationship, a job, a hobby, activity, a phase of life, etc. I am not looking for an end of life story for this episode.

The due date for that is April 28th. It's coming up soon, folks. The following theme is vacations. I think that's pretty self explanatory. Those are going to be due June 30th, 2024 for a summer episode. The last opportunity [00:27:00] is spooky stories. I'm looking for ghosts, haunted houses, witches, etc. We want something with a thrill and or a chill.

Now note, this is the only theme for which you can submit fiction. And those are going to be due October 6, 2024. I know, I've thrown a lot at you, and that's okay, because I've posted all this information and submission details on my Facebook and Instagram accounts. I'll have links to those in the episode notes.

You can send in a submission anytime before the deadline. I just won't be making any final decisions until after the due date. If you know any writers or storytellers, please share this with them. Thank you so much. A shout out to all my New York listeners. Last year I did an interview with Jeff Anderson who wrote a book about working for the Long Island Railroad.

Well, his novels just hit the shelves. You can find 30 Years Behind the Throttle on Amazon. Remember to pause and find [00:28:00] the wonder in each day. Until next time, I wish you well.