Janet Smith is working on a degree in nursing and asked to interview me for an English class. I was flattered and, with her permission, I printed her piece which got her an A!
Gracious Jane Marie
I was standing in a driveway in Fernandina Beach, Florida. In front of me
was a quaint yellow single-story cottage. The author of the historical Amelia Island’s Goodbye Lie Trilogy,
Jane Marie Malcolm, resides here. If I had any questions about being at
the right place, the sign on the house, Stately
Malcolm Manor, answered them for me. I was reminded of the old
southern mansions that had names attached to them like Twelve Oaks from Gone
With the Wind.
White flowering bushes greeted me on the right. The scent of those
blossoms made me want to stop and smell them, but I continued to the front door,
which was opened and seemed to be saying, “Welcome. Come
inside.”
Jane Marie greeted me with a smile and, with genuine hospitality, showed me to
my chair in the dining room. While she got our cold beverages, I took the
time to appreciate the beautiful décor of her home. It is said your
residence is a reflection of you, and I would say Jane Marie’s house certainly
represents her personality. I felt as if I had been transported back in
time, to an era of romance and grace. Throughout the house, I could see
items that showcased her artistic abilities. On the dining table was an
ordinary red brick, and on top of it stood a clay high heeled shoe covered in
green vines and leaves. A whimsical head with leaf-like wings adorned the
apex of the heel. “What do you think?” Jane Marie asked.
“I love it!” I replied. “It’s like angels are walking with
us.” Jane Marie said she wanted to use my words as a title for her
piece. I felt honored.
Jane Marie or "Gracious Jane Marie," as her fans call her, is the
very essence of grace mixed with wit and a sunny disposition. She is soft
spoken as a real genteel woman would be. Her long hair gives her the
appearance of someone who belongs back in the time of her writings. She
makes you feel what you have to say is important, and when she laughs, it is
contagious. You can’t help but laugh, too.
When I asked her the date of her birth, she giggled and said, “In the twentieth
century.” Even though she refused to tell me, Jane Marie pointed out her
framed birth certificate hanging in the kitchen. On the aging paper was
the month, day and year. I decided to keep her secret to myself.
Like the mother from Pennsylvania in her first novel, The Goodbye Lie,
Jane Marie was born in Erie. This is just one of the ways Jane Marie
mirrors her life with her stories.
Jane Marie is married to Bruce Malcolm, former mayor of Fernandina Beach.
She spoke of the interesting and funny things he has said, and has created a
journal that includes many of his best gems. She calls it The Wit and Hillbilly Wisdom of
Bruce Malcolm. It shows
that Jane Marie is deeply in love with her husband. “I believe in love at first sight,”
Jane Marie said, “because it happened to me.”
Jane Marie didn’t become a writer until the age of forty. It all started
when her family was getting ready to move away from Fernandina Beach. She
wanted to remember the little town she loved and combine the history of
Fernandina Beach with her love of romance. Just before they left, Jane
was working in a quiet shop in Victorian downtown Fernandina. With no one
in the store, she was about to “put pencil to paper” and begin her first
book. Just then, a man in his forties, who looked to be in his seventies
because of his weathered face, walked through the door. He wore a yellow
rain slicker and had curly auburn hair that women would kill for. He was
a shrimper just off his boat, selling his wares. He became her first
character and she named him Catfish.
Her original idea was to give The
Goodbye Lie to her daughter
for her hope chest and, thereby, pass it along to her grandchildren.
Needing to find out what happened to the other characters in the novel,
Jane Marie continued her work in three more books.
As the interview continued, an old grandfather clock chimed the eighth hour in
the background, and once again I was taken back in time. Jane Marie’s
favorite era is the 1880s. She used this
period in history as the setting for her books. Her characters are
created, in part, from people she knows, plus colorful life experiences and
surroundings. She used her own family structure as a model for her
books. She incorporates items that show her artistic abilities into her
writings, such as her Secret Pebbles©. These are hand painted glass
stones, decorated with roses, hearts, crosses and/or Christmas trees and come
with special verses for different occasions.
If Jane Marie couldn’t write for a living, her choice of job would be costume
designer. Again, the 1800s would be her preference because the women’s
clothing, in her words, “Had a lot of frou-frou. The more the
better!” I could picture her dressing that way today if she could get
away with it.
On the back of her second book, Amelia
Island’s Velvet Undertow, there is a comment by a fan who says, “Where
Little House on the Prairie meets Gone With The Wind …”
This is a great compliment because Jane Marie loves Gone With The Wind and considers herself a Windy, meaning a big-time
fan. When I asked her who her favorite author was, I was not surprised to
hear her say Margaret Mitchell, the author of Gone With The Wind.
Jane Marie is known for coming up with her own words, and her favorite right
now is "rutstucker." I was laughing at this strange word when
she said, “Make sure you write the meaning down so you won’t forget.” A rutstucker
is someone who is stuck in a rut. I hope Jane comes out with her own
dictionary soon.
You can get to know more about Jane Marie Malcolm by visiting her website and
blog at www.GraciousJaneMarie.com. Here, she writes about the heart,
home, roses, recipes and romance. Her second website, www.MarthaBear.com,
features her free and silly online children’s stories meant to encourage family
reading.
Jane Marie’s books are comprised of romance, family and history. Getting
a glimpse into her home and personality, I can see how much her real life and
published life are intertwined. She breathes and lives romance.
The chapter of my time with Jane Marie was over, so we walked outside together
and said our goodbyes. Before I entered my modern carriage, I could hear
the ocean behind me. Glancing back at Stately Malcolm Manor, I remembered
what Jane Marie said when I asked her for one last thought. “I believe in
happy endings.” That said it all.
