Wednesday, November 1, 2017

Hi, Everyone!

C'est Moi

Jillian Boehme

Author of Books for Teens
Represented by Danielle Burby of Nelson Literary Agency

Home:  Middle Tennessee (Greater Nashville area)
Originally from:  Lehigh Valley area, Pennsylvania
Love of my life:  Eric Boehme (a.k.a. Mr. A)
Education:  Bachelor of Music, Susquehanna University (piano)
Most important job:  homeschooling mom of 5
Volunteer:  Soprano with the Nashville Symphony Chorus



It has been my privilege and delight to speak into your lives for the past nine years as Authoress.  It will be my ongoing delight to continue to do so!




Over the next few days, Authoress: The Real Story will post as a series on the blog.  (It may or may not contain previously unpublished photographs.)  I've spent nearly a decade being very much myself online, while keeping the most important bits of my private life...well, private.  Authoress: The Real Story will give you a glimpse of my real world as it lines up with key posts/events on the blog.

I hope you'll join me.





Love, Jillian

93 comments:

  1. Hi! *waves* Hey, my dad's family is from the Lehigh Valley! My uncle was a professor at Lehigh U and is the conductor of the Allentown Band. Small world. Great to finally see your smiling face! <3

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, I love that! My dad graduated from Allen High, and my parents still live in the house I grew up in (in Catasauqua). <3

      Delete
  2. I love this just a wee bit❤❤❤

    ReplyDelete
  3. Yay!
    So much fun to finally 'see' you!
    I'm so thankful that you have put so much effort and time into this blog over the years--so much enthusiasm and encouragement. :)
    You make a difference! <3

    ReplyDelete
  4. Whee! Will be fun to get to know more about you. Now we can put a name to the gratitude we feel for your honest support, enthusiasm, and dedication to all things writerly, especially writers!

    Write on! ;)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Replies
    1. Thank you, Jen! (My daughter took the photos, which was super fun!)

      Delete
  6. A mother of 5? And a beautiful one. My goodness. And you write. No excuse for the rest of us. I'm thrilled to meet you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, goodness, thank you, Alice! Happy to meet you as myself. :)

      Delete
  7. So nice to finally see YOU! Keep up the great work here on the blog, and in fiction. You've helped me "keep on keeping on" many times over the years, and I'm grateful.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Michele -- it makes my heart so happy every time a writer tells me this. It's all about "keeping on keeping on"! <3

      Delete
  8. So nice to meet you, Jillian! How does it feel to use your real name online? :)

    Side note: I recently discovered that my second great-grandfather was born in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, so I've been doing a bunch of research in and around the area!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hiiii, Krista! It feels odd! I've been oddly nervous all morning.

      And what an interesting commonality! My parents still live in the house I was born in, so I'm up there at least once a year. I do have a huge soft spot for the area. :)

      Delete
  9. Thank you, Jillian, for all you do for the writing community. Lovely to thank you using your actual now!!

    ReplyDelete
  10. WOO HOO! So nice to finally meet you, Jillian. And someone who has more kids than I do (we have 4). You've always been such an encourager. Nice to finally put a face to the person.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Kirk! We have definitely done our share to repopulate the world, you and I! :)

      Delete
  11. Hello!
    How exciting - like Bruce Wayne opening the bat cave ;)I homeschooled my oldest til the 2nd half of first grade, so speaking of hats off - HATS OFF YOU for all that entails!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Not sure I'm quite on the level of Bruce Wayne, but thanks! LOL

      Delete
  12. Hi Jillian, nice to meet the real 'you'. :) 'Confessions of an authoress anon' would make an amazing book. Do think about it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you! Not sure my "confessions" would be all that exciting, but it's a great title! :)

      Delete
  13. Yay! Nice to "meet" you! I'm looking forward to learning more of your story.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Yay! Great to meet you...well the you you! Awesome pictures...and they weren't jarring, they fit the you we've gotten to know over the years. Does that even make sense? ��

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, and yes, it makes complete sense! It's also relieving, because I really have been as transparent as possible over the years. If my pictures match my persona, then I guess I've succeeded!

      Delete
  15. So basically your last name is a variation of Boheme. So, every time I hear La Vie Boheme from Rent I'll think of you. And, since Boheme means Bohemian. You're actually Jillian Bohemian. Who knew?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Actually, I knew! "Boehme" means "Bohemian" in German. So, yes, I will answer to all of the above. :)

      Delete
    2. So now, when I watch Rent and they sing that song, I'll imagine you tossing the red hat of your anonymity into the air to reveal the Bohemian behind the hat. :)

      Delete
  16. How fun to meet you after all these years! I'm a homeschool mom too :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, Shonna! Delighted to meet another homeschool mom. :)

      Delete
  17. Nice to finally "meet" you. Know I haven't been on the blog much lately, but couldn't resist popping in to say hi. Hi!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi! You're a "long-timer" and I'm glad you popped in today! :)

      Delete
  18. Hi Jillian! How nice to finally be able to call you by name.

    ReplyDelete
  19. HI JILLIAN!!! I've been happily reading your blog for years! Thank you so much for all your amazing contests and insight and encouraging words. I'm so glad to finally meet the real you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, Alison! You're so welcome. And thank you for sticking around all these years! :)

      Delete
  20. Hi Jillian! It's so nice to meet you!! Your name is one of my favorites, and I cannot believe you kept the fact that you have 5 kids hidden and private all these years! You are more amazing than I thought:)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Jacqueline! I'm actually just "Jill" but use "Jillian" as my author name. I am not amazing--just apparently very sneaky! :) :)

      Delete
  21. Welcome to the world, Jillian!! So glad to finally me the real you. Your anonymous Authoress has been a terrific addition to my writing world. Looking forward to a seamless transition. Thanks for all you do for us....and as someone previously posted--5 kids. No excuses for any of us:)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi there! :) Thank you. I'm going to hang onto "seamless" for sure. And, really, it's easy to write once you've locked your kids in the closet... ;)

      Delete
  22. I knew someone really wonderful was behind that red hat. Best wishes to you in all future endeavors as the newly revealed Jillian Boehme.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. What a lovely thing to say -- thank you, Shari!

      Delete
  23. Oh, look at how adorable you are!!! You should so be photographed, and often!!! And what a grand name- it definitely belongs on a book cover (or twenty). I love your new phase of life and even though I didn't participate, I enjoyed following along with your unveiling!

    Your curly brunette hair and bright baby blues will get you admittance to my family. We'll just think you're a cousin we mislaid!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wow, thank you, DJ! And I don't know why my eyes photograph that bright -- they're not that way when I look in the mirror. Will be happy to play the part of a mislaid cousin, though! (Because "mislaid" is a wonderful word!)

      Delete
  24. I love this! I have been an avid reader of your blog for years and somehow you are just as I imagined you. I look forward to reading your story, and discovering the you, the real you :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, Marie! I'm glad to know your image of me matches the real me. It was a bit intimidating to unveil!

      Delete
  25. Grateful to have a face to be grateful to. So pleased to virtually meet you! Thank you for all you do!

    ReplyDelete
  26. Thanks for the reveal, Jillian. This has been a lot of fun. Thanks for all the help you have given us writers over the years, and for inspiring us further as we learn more about your story.

    Becky

    ReplyDelete
  27. Oh my gosh! I’m also in Middle Tennessee! ^_^

    Five kids! Wow. Now we need a time management post to see how you’ve juggled everything. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well, hi, neighbor! :) I would totally fail at a time management post because of my uber-procrastination skills. ;P

      Delete
  28. Hi! Nice to meet you officially, my agency sister!

    ReplyDelete
  29. There are no words. So happy to meet you and get to know you better. You bring us light and hope and fellowship. Rock on, Jillian.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Wow! So glad I visited your blog today of all days! Have been following you for years and have benefited so much from your wisdom, thoughtful support, and never-ending encouragement. You are a lovely person. Thank you for all that you've done for us out here in the ether! (Also echoing another commenter, WOW, 5 kids!! How do you do it??)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well, yay! Thank you for your kind words. And over the years, the kids have grown and started to move out. So it keeps getting easier! :)

      Delete
  31. I didn't know this was happening today! It is so awesome to finally put name and face to hat. I've enjoyed the blog and contests and the fun and look forward to sharing more. And you have FIVE children? You're simply amazing. Do we call you Authoress or Gillian now?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you! You may call me whichever you'd like! I'm going to keep posting as "Authoress" here on the blog, but will be changing to Jillian on Twitter and Facebook.

      Delete
  32. Replies
    1. Likewise! I feel I've "known" you for a long time!

      Delete
  33. It is so nice to meet you! My, you are a multitalented creative, aren’t you? And, we are almost neighbors- I live in SW Virginia. Thanks for sharing yourself with us!

    ReplyDelete
  34. Congratulations, sweetheart.

    ReplyDelete
  35. Long time follower and I don’t even write MG or YA! Mostly PB over here. I just have always appreciated the community here and what you’ve built. Nice to meet you! :)

    ReplyDelete
  36. This is fantastic. You’re amazing! <3

    ReplyDelete
  37. Hello, nice to finally have a face and name to place with all your helpful encouraging words! I had no idea you were a mother to 5. I can't wait to read more of your Real Story!

    ReplyDelete
  38. So lovely to meet you! I didn't realize you were from the lehigh valley area - I just moved to that area a few years ago! Looking forward to getting to know you better :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, yay! It's a lovely area for sure--my parents still live there.

      Delete
  39. Biggest surprise? Mom of 5. Never would have guessed that one! Nice to see you online!

    ReplyDelete
  40. I've been lurking on this blog for a while now...and I was amazed to learn that you have such an amazing creative output while homeschooling FIVE little ones. Does your day have 30 hours or something???

    ReplyDelete
  41. Wow! I'm delighted to see you're from Lehigh Valley -- I grew up in Macungie and Wescosville (almost as fun to say as Catasaqua). But I'm most surprised to find out about your five kids. I talk about my kids constantly, probably ad nauseam, so I'm just really impressed you managed to keep quiet about it. And also really impressed about the homeschooling. So nice to put a face and a name to one of my favorite online personas!

    ReplyDelete
  42. Well, look at this lovely YOU! So nice to meet you! I noticed you updated your twitter account too. Yay! It's really nice to have a face with the name. You've done sooo much for the writing community and I'm sure it was hard to keep certain facts of your life out for so long! And Lordy, you've been raising and homeschooling 5 kiddos and writing, and blogging, and creating contest events, and being wifey, and...and, I'm now exhausted just thinking about it! GO YOU! I'm looking forward to learning more! (And yes, I over use exclamations. All. The. Time.)

    ReplyDelete
  43. HELLO! HELLO! Love the pic with the hat flying in the air. Props for homeschooling FIVE kidlets!

    ReplyDelete
  44. Wow - this is epic! You've been the home page of my browser for the last 6-7 years and now I have a face behind the words. I have learned so much from your blog and appreciate everything you do, thank you...and nice to meet you!

    ReplyDelete