Historical Fiction Author | Jana J Dearden Author

This photo by Jana is symbolic of how she spent her pandemic time, searching and connecting with ancestors of family and friends. Every tree tells a story, and they are all unique. Coincidentally, her love of photography came from her father, while her love of books came from her mother. Our roots give us the strength to fly.

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Castle in the Clouds

A long time ago, in an office far away. A secretary had a calendar on her wall. On the calendar was a picture of a magical looking castle. Looking at this each day inspired her to dream big. She read that King Ludwig II had built the castle in Bavaria. Everyone said he was crazy, and maybe he was. He spent years building the castle in the 1800’s pretty much ignoring the people he was supposed to govern. If you have watched the Disney movie Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, then you wi

Nov 3, 20252 min read

Photo Footsteps

My dad taught my sister and I how to count to twenty in German. A little background, my dad enlisted in the Army of Occupation at the end...

Oct 1, 20253 min read

The First Father's Day... of the rest of my life

… Consists of no shopping for golf balls, ties, or books on history. No picking out a funny Peanuts card, because Dad would get a laugh....

Jun 15, 20251 min read

A Curtsy for Clytie

I remember being in class at the studio, she always wore a black skirt either shorter in front or tucked up so we could see her leg...

May 2, 20254 min read

My Living Space

My old room is haunted yes, but not scary. I lay in a different bed but stare at the same ceiling. The night shows the sparkly...

Dec 12, 20241 min read

Empathy

Turns out empathy for others is not just a human trait! As technology allows us to have access to animals in their own habitats, we are...

Aug 26, 20242 min read

Professional Book Review

I recently received an independent professional review on my book, Echoes on the Rock. "Generations of an Italian family suffer...

Aug 11, 20242 min read

Jana Dearden received her BS in Journalism from Weber State University. Echoes on the Rock is her debut YA historical fiction novel. Before shifting to writing full-time, Jana was a high school teacher, community theater director, executive secretary, dance teacher, and journalist.

As a reporter she covered subjects from government meetings to a series on historic homes. Throughout her life, she has been inspired by her Waldensian ancestors. She is passionate about family history and telling forgotten stories that inform the present.

Jana lives in the Mountain West, where she writes, reads, and dances around the house.

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