Ask the Author: Jennifer David Hesse
Answered Questions (7)
Jennifer David Hesse
Hi, Elli. Thanks for your question! When it comes to labels, I usually describe myself as a "Witchy" person, rather than an actual Witch or Pagan. But I'm definitely simpatico with many Pagans. The Pagan descriptions in the Wiccan Wheel Mysteries came mainly from research, mixed with a healthy dose of my own imagination and experiences. As for the research portion, that mostly involved reading books, searching the internet, and talking to Pagans. :)
Jennifer David Hesse
Hi Kristi,
That's a great question (and I'm sorry for the delayed response!). I'd love for the books to be released in audio book format, but there's no immediate plan for it at the moment. If you let Audible (content-requests@audible.com) know you're interested, maybe it'll happen one of these days. :)
Thanks for the question!
~Jennifer
That's a great question (and I'm sorry for the delayed response!). I'd love for the books to be released in audio book format, but there's no immediate plan for it at the moment. If you let Audible (content-requests@audible.com) know you're interested, maybe it'll happen one of these days. :)
Thanks for the question!
~Jennifer
Jennifer David Hesse
As anyone engaged in genealogy research knows, the past is full of mystery: untold stories and secrets lost to time. When delving into the past, even mundane questions become vexing mysteries simply because the people who had the answers have long since departed.
My most puzzling mystery right now falls into the latter category. It’s a seemingly simple question with an elusive answer. I call it “The Mystery of the Butterfly Ring.”
The ring in question is a lovely, whimsical little piece belonging to my mother. It’s a gold ring featuring a painted enamel butterfly woman—that is, the profile of a woman’s face adorned with a green butterfly or fairy wing decorated with three red spots and a tiny diamond. It’s in the art nouveau style, which dates from about 1890 through 1910.
Recently, my mom, sisters, and I have been on a quest to discover the origin of this ring. Here’s what we know: My mom’s Aunt Iris gave her the ring when my mom was a girl. My mom doesn’t remember exactly when she received the ring from her aunt, but it was most likely in the late 1950s or early 1960s.
Aunt Iris (who was born on February 2, 1918 in New Orleans and died in 1972) never had any children of her own. My mom and my grandma (who was Iris’s sister-in-law) recall Iris saying that she had been given the ring by her Aunt Evie. Evie (short for Evelyn) was born in New Orleans on February 4, 1896 and died in 1977. Like her niece Iris, Evie never had any children of her own. From the 1920 census, we know there was a time when four generations of women were living in one household in New Orleans, including 23-year-old Evie and one-year-old Iris. And from old photos we know that aunt and niece (whose birthdays were just two days apart) were very close.
What we don’t know is how or when Evie acquired the ring. And we don’t know who designed the ring. We don’t even know if the ring was always a ring. In fact, the thing that has most aroused our curiosity is that we’ve been unable to find any rings just like it. Could it be one-of-a-kind?
Intrepid and determined (like our hero Nancy Drew), we spent hours diligently scouring the internet. And we couldn’t find a single image resembling Mom’s butterfly ring. But then one day, with the right combination of search terms and a lot of patient scrolling, I finally found a clue—I found the butterfly lady. It was the very same face, with rosy cheek, tuft of brown hair, and green butterfly wing decorated with three red spots. But she wasn’t on a ring—she was on a brooch. And a very interesting brooch it was. Much to my amazement, I learned that the brooch was designed by Henry Blank, a popular jewelry designer who survived the sinking of the Titanic!
Since then I’ve found two other pins on-line with similar butterfly lady faces, one painted and one all gold. But I’ve never found a ring. And, of course, Mom’s ring has no markings. So our questions remain: Was Aunt Iris’s ring originally a Henry Blank brooch that was later fashioned into a ring? Was it just a copy? Or could it have been a rare ring designed by Blank himself? (And, by the way, where did Evie get the ring?!)
We may never know. But, then again, we can keep digging. The answer might be out there somewhere!
p.s. I actually do intend to feature this ring in a fictional mystery. I just need to write the story to go along with it. Stay tuned!
My most puzzling mystery right now falls into the latter category. It’s a seemingly simple question with an elusive answer. I call it “The Mystery of the Butterfly Ring.”
The ring in question is a lovely, whimsical little piece belonging to my mother. It’s a gold ring featuring a painted enamel butterfly woman—that is, the profile of a woman’s face adorned with a green butterfly or fairy wing decorated with three red spots and a tiny diamond. It’s in the art nouveau style, which dates from about 1890 through 1910.
Recently, my mom, sisters, and I have been on a quest to discover the origin of this ring. Here’s what we know: My mom’s Aunt Iris gave her the ring when my mom was a girl. My mom doesn’t remember exactly when she received the ring from her aunt, but it was most likely in the late 1950s or early 1960s.
Aunt Iris (who was born on February 2, 1918 in New Orleans and died in 1972) never had any children of her own. My mom and my grandma (who was Iris’s sister-in-law) recall Iris saying that she had been given the ring by her Aunt Evie. Evie (short for Evelyn) was born in New Orleans on February 4, 1896 and died in 1977. Like her niece Iris, Evie never had any children of her own. From the 1920 census, we know there was a time when four generations of women were living in one household in New Orleans, including 23-year-old Evie and one-year-old Iris. And from old photos we know that aunt and niece (whose birthdays were just two days apart) were very close.
What we don’t know is how or when Evie acquired the ring. And we don’t know who designed the ring. We don’t even know if the ring was always a ring. In fact, the thing that has most aroused our curiosity is that we’ve been unable to find any rings just like it. Could it be one-of-a-kind?
Intrepid and determined (like our hero Nancy Drew), we spent hours diligently scouring the internet. And we couldn’t find a single image resembling Mom’s butterfly ring. But then one day, with the right combination of search terms and a lot of patient scrolling, I finally found a clue—I found the butterfly lady. It was the very same face, with rosy cheek, tuft of brown hair, and green butterfly wing decorated with three red spots. But she wasn’t on a ring—she was on a brooch. And a very interesting brooch it was. Much to my amazement, I learned that the brooch was designed by Henry Blank, a popular jewelry designer who survived the sinking of the Titanic!
Since then I’ve found two other pins on-line with similar butterfly lady faces, one painted and one all gold. But I’ve never found a ring. And, of course, Mom’s ring has no markings. So our questions remain: Was Aunt Iris’s ring originally a Henry Blank brooch that was later fashioned into a ring? Was it just a copy? Or could it have been a rare ring designed by Blank himself? (And, by the way, where did Evie get the ring?!)
We may never know. But, then again, we can keep digging. The answer might be out there somewhere!
p.s. I actually do intend to feature this ring in a fictional mystery. I just need to write the story to go along with it. Stay tuned!
Jennifer David Hesse
Don't give up! If you want to write, write. There are many paths to publication and many readers out there waiting for your words. With commitment and persistence, you can reach your goals. That's how I did it!
Jennifer David Hesse
The best thing about being a writer is that I get to fulfill a long-held dream of mine. For me, writing is a passion and a calling. It's a very satisfying feeling to achieve something you set out to do--especially something that seemed daunting and elusive for so long. Whatever your passion is, I say go for it!
Jennifer David Hesse
By stepping away from the computer. If I'm feeling tired or unmotivated, it's best to go do something else rather than try to force a writing session. Ideas often arise when I allow my mind to wander while my body is busy doing something else-- whether it's washing the dishes, taking a shower, or strolling down the sidewalk. ...I also remind myself that blocks are temporary. I've written before, so I'll write again!
Jennifer David Hesse
Hi Kathleen,
Thanks for reaching out! And thanks so much for writing and sharing your review. I look forward to reading it!
Best wishes,
Jennifer
Thanks for reaching out! And thanks so much for writing and sharing your review. I look forward to reading it!
Best wishes,
Jennifer
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Aug 15, 2019 10:41AM