Elizabeth Alter wants to work and dance in 1920s New York City. Will she avoid the trap of marriage and live the independent life she dreams of?
Good morning, Elizabeth. Tell us about She Danced Anyway. My name is Elizabeth Alter. This story is about my life as a young upper-middle-class woman in 1920s New York City. I visit dance halls and community centers around the city with my friends where we dance the nights away. Sometimes the police or church ladies show up to cause us trouble. I long for a dance partner and when I meet James, I think we’ve created the perfect partnership. But, of course, nothing comes easy. My mother frustrates me with her badgering about marriage. It takes me some time to get up the courage to declare my dream to live on my own. And then I have to embark on the challenging journey to make it happen.
What made you choose research for a profession? I’m naturally curious about everything. I also love books. When I was studying at Barnard, one of my professors asked me to help her with a paper. She was such an excellent guide; I couldn’t help but seek out any opportunity for assisting with research. I’m terribly stubborn which also makes me a good researcher because I don’t give up easily.
Knowing
what you know now, if you had it to do over again, would you stick with being a
researcher and dancer or do something different? Working in the library is a wonderful experience for
me. I wouldn’t change a thing about the work I get to do. I particularly enjoy
going into the archives – the musty smells of old paper and dust do something
to me. Ultimately, I put myself through graduate school and begin a career in
academia, where I get to continue researching. As a dance instructor, I have
learned a lot about myself. Teaching others how to dance does not pay very
much, but it brings me so much joy. Even when I no longer really needed the
money, I kept teaching for Madame Moreau.
What
is your biggest fear? I’m a rather
determined woman, but I’m hardly a fearless one. I wish I were! My biggest fear
is not having enough money to live on my own. I was so set on getting out of my
parents’ home, fear led me to find a second job. I surprised myself when I realized I’d do nearly
anything for an independent life.
Who
is your favorite fictional character and why? I love Sherlock Holmes. He’s both intriguing and
maddening. Incredibly intelligent as a detective, but so completely lost at
times when dealing with people. Obviously, he understands human nature, or he
wouldn’t be skilled at solving crimes, but on a personal level, well, Mr.
Holmes could use a lesson, right? I suppose I love him because he’s so complex
and I always learn something when I’m reading those books.
What
is the best piece of advice you ever received? My favorite professor, Clara Sporian, told me that I
should free myself of my mother’s expectations. I think she said something
like, “she’s already made her life choices.” Which meant, of course, that I
should do what I wanted rather than live within my mother’s narrow-minded constraints.
Thank you for giving us a
short peek into your life, Elizabeth. We wish you much luck in your future. Now
we’d like to chat with J.J.
Which writer or
character[s], from either books or movies, [or both] have had a major impact on
your writing?
I
read a lot of historical fiction and women’s fiction, and I have a lot of
favorite authors. Whether they have impacted my writing specifically, I
couldn’t say. That I have been a voracious reader since childhood has certainly
paved the way for me to write books. That said, I love pithy, fast-moving
dialogue which I find many thriller writers have mastered. Authors like Tami
Hoag, John Grisham, Michael Connelly, to name a few. Quick, funny dialogue is
always a goal of mine when I’m writing scenes.
With regard to research,
where did you start for this novel? Did that lead you down different paths,
thereby changing the original concept? I’m
a massive George Gershwin fan. His piece, Rhapsody in Blue, actually
inspired the first scene I wrote (but that’s really another story!). I used the
old standby Google, listened to a lot of music, watched dancing videos online.
Because academia is featured in She Danced Anyway, I read a book penned by
the first female dean at Barnard College. I wanted to learn how women in higher
education managed all their challenges in the 1920s. That book came all the way
from a university in Alabama through inter-library loan! And of course, I’d
mention a library since it’s one setting for this novel. Haha.
Tell us a bit about your
publisher. How did you hear about them; what influenced you to submit to them;
how is the submission process; what is the turn-around time from date of query
to date of release? I’m late to the
novel-writing game so I didn’t want to spend time waiting for a literary agent
to shop my book. I searched for publishers accepting unagented work. That’s how
I found The Wild Rose Press. The submission process with Wild Rose is very
clear and certainly easy enough to follow. I submitted to TWRP in June 2023,
and two months later was offered a contract. I spent extra time on the book
with my editor because it’s my debut and I was hoping for a bit of perfection,
I suppose. Anyway, my novel releases on June 10, 2024.
What are you reading right
now? I recently finished The
Five-Star Weekend by Elin Hilderbrand and am just starting the thriller, She
Started It by Sian Gilbert. Both are about gatherings of woman but with
very different outcomes.
What's next for you? I have a Christmas romance set in Richmond, Virginia, titled
His Christmas Muse which will be released on December 9, 2024.
To learn more about J.
J. Ranson and the stories she creates go to: www.juliejranson.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JulieJRanson
Facebook Author Profile : https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556781356858
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/jjransonauthor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jjranson_writer
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/jjranson/
To purchase She Danced
Anyway, go to:
https://www.amazon.com/She-Danced-Anyway-J-Ranson/dp/1509254498/
Your book sounds so interesting. Writing about the 20s is something I love. Best on the book!
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