During the day, Jenny Gibbons works full time in the Access Office at STLCC-Meramec. When she’s not working, though, she changes her name to Jayden Woods and becomes a historical fiction author.
Joe Douglas
-Editor-in-Chief-
Approximately 1,000 years ago, Eadric Streona rose to fame and power in the kingdom of Mercia. He ultimately became known as the greatest traitor of the Britain’s Anglo-Saxon period. On Oct. 5, Streona will enter modern history through the new novel “Eadric the Grasper.”
During the day, Jenny Gibbons works full time in the Access Office at STLCC-Meramec. When she’s not working, though, she changes her name to Jayden Woods and becomes a historical fiction author.
“I’ve realized that I give to people by entertaining them,” Gibbons said.
Streona, meaning “the grasper” in Old English, was voted in a December 2005 issue of BBC’s History Magazine as the “worst” Briton of the 11th century, and one of 10 of the worst Britons in the last 1,000 years. According to the article, he betrayed King Ethelred II and allowed the Viking King Cnut the Great to take over Mercia.
“Eadric is a different kind of hero. He just wants the violence, the fighting to stop,” Gibbons said. “I try to provide that perspective, to make you question who the real hero is.”
Gibbons said the idea of writing “Eadric the Grasper” came from reading the stories of Streona in historical documents of the 11th and 12th centuries. “I read his story and it matched really closely to what I already wanted to write.”
“Eadric the Grasper” is volume one of a series titled “Sons of Mercia” and will be released on Amazon.com on Oct. 5. Volume two, “Godric the Kingslayer,” has not been scheduled for release yet. Gibbons is currently writing volume three.
Kay Blalock, Ph.D., instructor of history for Meramec, wrote a review for the historical fiction novel. “It is an interesting read and offers enough factual information to serve as an educational tool as well as good entertainment for the modern reader.”
In late April, Gibbons started a blog titled “Lost Tales of Mercia.” On every other Tuesday, she releases a new short story about a minor or major character in “Eadric the Grasper,” foreshadows events in the book, and reveals unknown secrets that add to the depth of the story. On Tuesdays in between, she posts related news and info regarding her stories.
While she is not a historian by nature, Gibbons said she is interested in historians’ reactions to ancient history. “There’s so little known… I think it’s interesting to explore people like [Streona] and why they did what they did.”
Since 2008, Gibbons has worked to find an agent and get published. Instead, she said she decided to get it self-published. “It’s ever harder to get to an agent because there are so many wanting to get published.”
In the meantime, Gibbons has been contacting authors and critics for reviews, and is working with web partners to spread out the novel’s exposure.
“You cannot just sit there and wait for someone to notice you,” Gibbons said.
Gibbons said she hopes to eventually have her books appear on the New York Times Best Sellers list.
“The goal is to have that one big, shining day when the book is released and you hit the best sellers list,” Gibbons said. “It’s a lot of work and it feels good and something’s going to pay off, I hope.”
