The Lure of Alaska

This story is about a different branch of the Williams family tree. In the early 1900s Cason Williams travels from Georgia to Alaska in search of an answer for why his friend died. Was it really an accident as the report said, or was murder the real cause of death? And where is the gold Shane found? Will the old timer Cason meets be able to help him survive the cold winter of Alaska? While waiting for Cason to return, Anna, Shane’s fiancée back home in Georgia, is worried she will be forced into a marriage of convenience to help her mother keep their home.

My Precious Jewel

A love story set in the early 1900's in the United States. Eleven-year-old Emerald Cooper loves Aaron Davis, who is ten years her senior and only sees her as a close friend of the family. At the turn of the 20th century, a time when women could not enter into a man’s world, she could not let him know how she felt before he left on a venture. While Aaron is away helping in the building of the Panama Canal, a newcomer, Reuben Baker, comes to town. As the years go by, Reuben falls in love with Emerald and sets her heart in turmoil as she tries to decide whether to wait for a chance to declare her love for Aaron or accept a love that is being offered her right now.

Silent Love

This story is about Jonathan's great-nephew Clayton Williams as he leaves his home in North Carolina to follow in his uncle's footsteps by venturing farther west. Beth O'Neill and her family are also traveling over the Cumberland Mountains heading west. See how Beth handles losing her family, then tries to decide what to do now that she is on her own and headed to an unknown land. Read how their lives intertwine with Winola, a twelve year old girl, whose drunkard father loses her to slavers while gambling. Experience with them the hardships and pleasures of living in the early 1800's Ohio.

Explanation of how I wrote my books

Though all my books are written about the same fictional family line, I want them to be stand-alone, meaning you do not have to read the next one to ‘finish the story.’ However, after Beyond the Mountains was released, so many people wanted to know what happened to Rebekah, I changed the beginning of Silent Love to tell what happened. I thought I should be true to the readers. So, technically, it became a sequel as I never intended. But, that is all that makes it thus. Each book can be read whenever and does not have to be read in order.

Beyond the Mountains

In 1766, Jonathan Williams lives with his family in western North Carolina. He longs for adventure and wants to cross the mountains dividing him from the lands he hears others talking about. Before he obtains his parents’ blessing on such a venture, the Battle of Alamance threatens to divide his family. He tries to decide whether to fight against the governor or venture farther west. A childhood friend, Hannah, has seemingly, been abandoned by her husband and also wants to leave her position at the town tavern. She wonders if her husband will return or if the rumors she hears about him are true. She wishes Jonathan would take her with him when he leaves. As the story unfolds you will learn about both Jonathan and Hannah. After Jonathan finally has his dream come true, he struggles whether it is right to settle a land already occupied by other people. You will get to know friends they make on their adventures during a part of our history when the new people to our country were pushing westward.

Books by Belinda Jo Adams

I have four novels on the market. I call them novels because that is what non-writers call them. Writers say they are not long enough for real novels, but whatever. I have four of them available. They can be purchased at any bookstore by having them order them for you. Or you can shop at the online bookstores for them. The titles are: Beyond The Mountains, Silent Love, My Precious Jewel and The Lure of Alaska. I use my real name: Belinda Jo Adams as the author. I wrote each one from my studies of history and having lived in the area of the setting of the stories. They also contain items from my own experiences.
All four are historical stories that both teens and adults will like to read and hopefully recommend to their friends.

What I write.

I titled this blog Belinda Jo Writes because that is what I do. Write. What do I write? The writing books say to pick one type of writing and focus on it. That would be a whole lot easier than what I do. I I keep trying to focus on one type, but it is hard. The, I see where other authors do various things and figure it is ok. But, those authors can probably afford to pay for their work to be edited, researched, etc, so it is not so confusing to them. Maybe. So, what do I write? I like historical the best. I like to take tidbits from the past and work them into a fictional story or even a poem or article. I have many items and ideas that I will never get around to writing about them all. Recently, I have decided to try to make myself focus on historical fiction short stories and major there. If a poem comes to mind, of course I’ll write it down.

Superstitions

I grew up with superstitions. We threw salt over our shoulders for a reason I cannot remember now. If we took a piece of bread form the serving plate while we had one on our plate, it meant hungry company was coming. If a black cat crossed our path, then we went around another way. We did not walk under a ladder. I do not worry about all that stuff now, but sometimes, I have to stop and make myself walk under a ladder. If you broke a mirror it was seven years of bad luck. I would still be in trouble with that one. One time, I was riding in the car. We were within the block of our destination and a black cat crossed the path. The driver stopped, backed the car up to the intersection, and went around the block. I thought, Now, that cat came from that direction. Maybe he crossed this road, too. But, I did not say anything. Maybe that is when I stopped believing all those superstitions.
The only one that I still cannot bring myself to break is if I have a bad dream. You are not supposed to tell it until after breakfast, or it would come true. I figure it is not that long until I eat so I can wait. Maybe one day, I will get over that one, too!

New Year's Day

As a child, I heard that what you do on New Year's Day, you will do all year. So I thought if I sewed or read ... or whatever, then I would have a lot of time to sew or read or ... whatever!
Yesterday, was spent with family and friends, having fun and eating. If the superstition is true, then we will have fun with family and friends during the next year. Hopefully, we do not eat as much, though.
If you want to read the top 10 superstitions for New Year's Day, go to: http://www.toptenz.net/top-10-new-years-traditions-superstitions.php