2014 A to Z Challenge: J

James Joyce

Wikipedia says,

James Augustine Aloysius Joyce (2 February 1882 – 13 January 1941) was an Irish novelist and poet, considered to be one of the most influential writers in the modernist avant-garde of the early 20th century. Joyce is best known for Ulysses (1922), a landmark work in which the episodes of Homer’s Odyssey are paralleled in an array of contrasting literary styles, perhaps most prominent among these the stream of consciousness technique he perfected. Other major works are the short-story collection Dubliners (1914), and the novels A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man (1916) and Finnegans Wake (1939). His complete oeuvre also includes three books of poetry, a play, occasional journalism, and his published letters.

Joyce was born into a middle class family in Dublin, where he excelled as a student at the Jesuit schools Clongowes and Belvedere, then at University College Dublin. In his early twenties he emigrated permanently to continental Europe, living in Trieste, Paris and Zurich. Though most of his adult life was spent abroad, Joyce’s fictional universe does not extend far beyond Dublin, and is populated largely by characters who closely resemble family members, enemies and friends from his time there; Ulysses in particular is set with precision in the streets and alleyways of the city. Shortly after the publication of Ulysses he elucidated this preoccupation somewhat, saying, “For myself, I always write about Dublin, because if I can get to the heart of Dublin I can get to the heart of all the cities of the world. In the particular is contained the universal.”

Nancy Jardine

Crooked Cat says,

Having taught primary kids for many years, Nancy Jardine wound down her career from late 2008, finally giving up the chalk in 2011. Writing non-fiction works for school purposes made her itch to enter the world of fiction writing.

Teaching historical periods was a joy, and it heavily influenced the writing of The Beltane Choice. Two contemporary romances are now published–one of those a history/mystery. She enjoyed creating her first history-mystery so much another, Topaz Eyes, will be published in December 2012.

Novels for children still have their place in her life. A time-travel adventure for children, 9-12yrs, is completed, but not yet published. A family saga is a work in progress, along with sequels to The Beltane Choice, and the time-travel adventure for children.

Nancy lives in the picturesque castle country of Aberdeenshire, Scotland, with her husband who feeds her well – and that’s just perfect or they’d both starve. Time permitting she loves to read, and do ancestry research. Working in her large garden, she now grows spectacular weeds which she’s becoming very fond of! She loves participating in activity weekends with her extended family, since they give her great fodder for new writing.

The Link

Well, nothing really amazing. Nancy had an Irish grandfather and has been to Dublin. Both authors have B.A. degrees and worked for a time as teachers. And Nancy read Joyce’s work at college.