Jean M. West

You may not think that the sentence, "If you research in archives, you're wasting writing time," would have the effect on me that red has on a bull, but it did. Of course, I had worked for a decade as an education specialist in the National Archives and Records Administration in Washington, D.C., so was a tad touchy on the subject. From experience in primary source records, I knew that a little digging uncovers distinctive individuals, authentic details, and fascinating storylines. I disregarded that ill-conceived bit of advice and have integrated many of my archival discoveries into my novels.

I freely admit that I am as much a historian as an author. I attended the College of William and Mary and gloried in free student access to all that Colonial Williamsburg has to offer before collecting my bachelor's degree in history. I taught history and social studies for a decade in Fairfax County, Virginia, honing my story-telling skills on intermediate and high school students, not all of whom were as enraptured about history as I was.

In the summer of 1980, I attended the Northern Virginia Writing Project as I was collecting credits towards my master's degree in education from University of Virginia. On the final day of the program, a presenter posed the challenge, "Do you want to keep writing for your top desk drawer or do you want to reach a wider audience?" It was a moment of epiphany for me and from that moment on, I focused on publication. My first published pieces were non-fiction and geared for an audience of educators, first in newsletters and journals.

I left teaching for the National Archives so I could pursue my writing and found myself swimming in the deep end right away, becoming a co-author on the institution's teaching kit for the bicentennial of the U.S. Constitution. Numerous other primary source teaching materials would follow before I left the Archives, worked briefly at Betty Debnam's The Mini Page, and then pursued a career as a social studies education consultant.

Nevertheless, fiction called. I worked adjacent to the Apex Building, home to Mathew Brady's Civil War photography studio. When brainstorming with one of my neighbors about a possible first novel sleuth, the idea of a Civil War photographer arose quite naturally. Thus was born the nine-part Civil War series featuring photographer Rob McEntee and his brother, Andrew. As I was conducting research for the eighth book in that series, I discovered Frances Abels. While I had originally planned to send Rob out West, Frankie had other ideas. She was insistent that the next series should be hers. What was I to do, but let her have her way?

When I began the Civil War series a couple decades ago, publishers seemed baffled about what to do with historical mysteries and I couldn't find anyone willing to print the series. I had written myself into a dead-end on Anguish at Antietam, as well, so the series languished for thirteen years. But then, a decade ago, I decided to participate in the National Novel Writing Month challenge, succeeded in writing a fictionalized account of my life in Cold War Amarillo, Texas called Hot Pepper Vinegar and Candied Ginger, and published it via CreateSpace. That triggered a break-through on how to finish Anguish at Antietam.

With three books ready to publish, I hesitated, worried about copyright. I had been volunteering at my daughter's former elementary school and as I presented an enrichment lesson on patents, I was emboldened to give copyrighting a try. Fortunately, the Copyright Office had just begun its online services and, bingo, I copyrighted the first three Civil War mysteries and published them. I have not looked back since.

I was born in White Plains, New York but grew up following oil patches to Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, and Caracas, Venezuela with my petroleum engineer father. Surviving the Suez Crisis in the former and a revolution in the latter, Dad decided to accept a job with the Department of Interior so I could grow up in the U.S. There were subsequent moves from New York to Texas and then Virginia. I am the proud mother of a compassionate pediatric genetics counselor who is a fine writer in her own right. I delude myself into thinking I am the leader of my pack of three Shetland Sheepdogs but because many of my best ideas arise during early morning walks, I suspect I am no leader but, instead, a herded ewe.

I make every attempt to write with integrity about the eras in which my fiction is set and to provide my audience with a few pleasant hours in the past. I wish you happy reading!

The order of the books in my two series are as follows:

Civil War Mystery Series featuring Rob and Andrew McEntee:

Mayhem at Manassas

Peril on the Peninsula

Anguish at Antietam

Furor in Fredericksburg

Chaos at Chancellorsville

Grief and Gettysburg

Woe in Washington

Misadventure in Mosby’s Confederacy

Calamity in the Capital

Wild West Nevada Mystery Series featuring Frankie Abels:

Go West For Your Health, They Said

All That Glitters Is Not Gold, They Said

Murder Will Out, They Said

There’s More Than Meets the Eye, They Said

No Rest for the Wicked, They Said