Jan Ezelle is a graduate of The Institute of Children’s Literature.

When asked if there were any part of the book/"Legend of the Dewberry Harvester" that represented her, Jan stated, “The main character, I suppose; one who reminds me of myself in some ways. 'He' (or 'it') had to overcome fears and obstacles during his adventure, whereas I’ve dealt with much the same, living with slight speech impairment due to hearing loss and Retinitis Pigmentosa, a slow, progressive form of blindness. So, just as 'the little lad' stepped out of his mound to face his fears and obstacles, I’m stepping out to overcome my fears by trying to accomplish something I’ve never done before.”

Jan discovered the love for writing when a single ant wandered across her patio. "A strange topic to write about indeed,” she said. “Especially, when the subject about insect is no longer new, but THIS ant’s nature sent my curiosity into overdrive. I wondered why it was alone, where it was going, and what was the motivating force behind its actions. After doing some research and finding the answers to those burning questions, I discovered that a harvester ant, as tiny as it is and as insignificant as most of us consider it, has a very complex life that mirrors our own in many ways--Yes, it's like us! With this newfound knowledge, my imagination began to move me, and the legend was born.”

“I had written pretty good short stories and essays while in high school,” Jan continued. “But I didn't seriously consider becoming a writer at that time because my eyesight was okay and so I occupied myself with other interests. But with the deterioration of my sight as I got older, I realized writing was the only thing I had to fall back on which inspired me to take a writing course with The Institute of Children's Literature. My writing now serves me as a way of being productive with my life while contributing to society in a positive way.”

“The lesson I have learned from writing this novel, is that it stands as a message to those who feel they suffer some sort of disability,” Jan said. “No one should let obstacles—or fear—stand in the way of achieving their dreams. Rather than focus on what I couldn’t do, I had to focus on what I could do.”

Mrs. Ezelle plans to pursue other writing interests for both children and adults. For more information, you can visit: