EPIC AUTHOR
Award-winning author and speaker Jenny L. Cote, who developed an early passion for God, history, and young people, beautifully blends these three passions in her two fantasy fiction series, The Amazing Tales of Max and Liz® and Epic Order of the Seven®. Likened to C. S. Lewis by readers and book reviewers alike, she speaks on creative writing and history to schools, universities and conferences around the world. Jenny has a passion for making history fun for kids of all ages, instilling in them a desire to discover their part in HIStory. Her love for research has taken her to most Revolutionary sites in the U.S., to London (with unprecedented access to Handel House Museum to write in Handel’s composing room), Oxford (to stay in the home of C. S. Lewis, ‘the Kilns’, and interview Lewis’ secretary, Walter Hooper at the Inklings’ famed The Eagle and Child Pub), Paris, Normandy, Rome, Israel, and Egypt. She partnered with the National Park Service to produce Epic Patriot Camp, a summer writing camp at Revolutionary parks to excite kids about history, research and writing. Jenny’s books are available online and in stores around the world, as well as in e-book and audio formats. Jenny holds two marketing degrees from the University of Georgia and Georgia State University. A Virginia native, Jenny now lives with her husband Casey, and Jock and Liz in Roswell, Georgia.
A video about how Jenny's first book, Now I Sea! was born, and led her to be an author.
This is an intro video that Jenny made for the Homeschool Connect Expo (a FREE resource for Homeschool Families with speakers, exhibits and resources. Click here to learn more!). She'll give you an overview of the books as well as her background and approach to writing.
"Hi, you are my favorite author because you are not as calm as the others and most of them who write non-fiction are boring but I like how you are not afraid to dream and put Christ in your stories. Thank you for coming to The Kings Academy both times- we all love you."
- Hannah Neese, West Palm Beach, FL
JENNY'S 2024 SCHEDULE
2024 will be primarily a writing year for Jenny, but she is still available to speak to schools, churches, libraries, professional and community groups on a limited basis. Learn more by checking out the Schools/Groups pages. See if Jenny will be in your area below to request a visit. If not, all she needs is an invitation to come, wherever you are in the world. For interviews and publicity events, please contact Jenny at jenny@epicorderoftheseven.com.
Please visit Jenny's Special Events Page for details on public events listed here.
WINTER 2024
Jenny is in the writing cave working on two manuscripts:
1) Updated Now I Sea! (spring 2024)
2) The Storm, the Fish, and the Vine (2025).
Appearances are limited.
Scheduled Appearances:
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Zooming with the 3 Epic Homeschool Classes as they launch week of Jan. 8.
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Feb. 26: Covenant Christian School, Cumming, GA
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Mar. 5: Trinity Christian School, Sharpsburg, GA
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Mar. 8-9: Camden, SC, Historic Camden Foundation Lafayette Weekend
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Mar. 8: 10am-12pm Kershaw County Library workshops for Homeschoolers
SUMMER 2024
Jenny is working on The Storm, the Fish, and the Vine (2025), and the fourth installment in the Epic Revolutionary Saga: The Boy, the Turn, and the Forge (2026) But she will spend her free time at Lake Burton in north GA, writing, editing, paddleboarding, and of course serving as Lady Liberty for the July 4th fireworks.
Scheduled Appearances:
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June 20: Dallas, TX, Moms for America MOMVIEW interview airing this summer
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Aug 15-18: New York City, Lafayette Bicentennial Tour Celebration
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Aug 23: Culture Detox Program with Pastor Jack Hibbs, Calvary Chapel Chino Hills, CA
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Aug 24: PLOT Workshop at Riley's Farm, Oak Glen, CA
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Aug 25: Book Signing at Calvary Chapel Chino Hills, CA
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Aug 26: Calvary Vista Homeschool Epic Workshop event, Vista, CA.
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Sept. 20: Redmond, WA, The Bear Creek School
SPRING 2024
Jenny will emerge from her writing cave to travel to a few exciting places while she edits her manuscripts.
Scheduled Appearances:
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Mar. 19: American History Live Luncheon, Vero Beach, FLA, 11:30-1:00
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Mar. 19: Vero Beach Homeschoolers
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Mar. 20: American Security Council Foundation, Vero Beach, FLA
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Mar. 21: Moms for Liberty, Vero Beach, FLA
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Apr. 6-13: Breckenridge, CO
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Apr. 9: Cornerstone Christian School, Basalt, CO
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May 2: American Heritage Girls, Smithfield, VA
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May 3: Private Writing Workshop, Richmond, VA
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May 4: Spring Festival at Historic Eppington, Chesterfield, VA
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May 23-25: FPEA Florida Homeschool Convention, Orlando, FLA
FALL 2024
This is Jenny's prime time book tour season! When she is not on the road, she will be found in Athens, GA on most Saturdays, cheering on her UGA Dawgs. Contact her early to get on her calendar.
Scheduled Appearances:
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Sept. 22: 1-2 pm, Book signing, Sycamore Shoals State Historic Park for Overmountain Men March to Kings Mountain, Elizabethton, TN
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Oct. 4-6: Gideon Film Festival, Nashville, TN
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Oct. 11: 9-11 am Blue Ridge Christian School, Harrisonburg, VA
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Oct. 11: 2-3 pm, Homeschoolers of the Valley, Horizon Christian Fellowship, Harrisonburg, VA
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Oct. 12: 10:30-1:00 pm, Blessings Christian Bookstore, Harrisonburg, VAOctoO
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Oct. 14: Atlantic Shores Christian School, Virginia Beach, VA
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Oct. 18: 10-12 pm, Book signing, American Revolution Museum, Yorktown, VA
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Oct. 19: 12:30-2:30 pm, Book signing, Gallery at York Hall, Yorktown, VA
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Oct. 21-25: Atlanta, GA , Cobb EMC Literacy Week
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Nov. 19-20: West Palm Beach, FL, The Kings Academy
Jenny is proud to partner with The History List to provide signed copies of her books in their awesome store. She also is an avid shopper of their merch, so check out them out! She won their "Best Period Clothing" award for the July 4th contest. Lady Liberty rides again, huzzah!
"You're what I hope to be like when I'm older... A strong Christian, someone who's not afraid to be a little crazy, and an author!
Thanks for coming to The Kings Academy."
- Carly Coles, West Palm Beach, FL
“I love your work and I wanted to thank you for all that you've done for your readers. From doing workshops across the country (one of which I've been to) to giving us the opportunity to be advance readers, we appreciate you so much! Know that you are loved by your readers and you are able to do anything!”
-Gracie McBride, Homeschooler, Kennesaw, GA
Upcoming Public Events!
For details about upcoming public events, please visit her Special Events page.
Author's stories take kids through the Bible, with pets as their guides
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By Chick Jacobs Staff writer
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Author Jenny L. Cote has created a series of Bible-related novels with animal characters inspired by her pets. She will discuss the series Sunday at Haymount United Methodist Church.
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For a couple of pampered pets, Max and Liz have been part of a lot of history.
They hitched a ride on Noah's Ark, watched the Old Testament prophet Isaiah and helped Joseph through tough times in Egypt.
At least, that's the story Jenny L. Cote tells. The North Carolina-born author has taken her Scottish terrier and his feline friend on a series of imaginative tales through the Bible.
On Sunday, they'll come to Fayetteville for a workshop at Haymount United Methodist Church. Well, Cote will be here. Her time-traveling pets will be staying home.
"They've got other adventures in store," Cote said in a telephone interview from an Atlanta suburb. "We'll talk about them and their adventures. And we'll get people involved in the workshop. It won't just be me talking. We'll have tons of fun."
Cote's visit will fulfill another longtime goal. She's an avid researcher as well as writer, and one of her current projects involves the Marquis de Lafayette. She has never visited Fayetteville, the first city in America named for the Revolutionary War hero from France. In fact, LaFayette brought Cote and her hosts at Haymount United together. Several members of Fayetteville's Friends of LaFayette group were in Virginia last year and ended up sitting with Cote. Cote was in town on a research trip.
"We started chatting, and before you know it, we're making plans for her to visit Fayetteville," said Sandy Hurley, one of the group members. "It was one of those things you look back on and say, 'Wow! That's neat!' "Her books are really fun to read. They're aimed at young adults, but parents love them, too."
That's by design, Cote said.
"If you write something that kids and adults can enjoy, then it's something well-written," she said. In the case of Max and Liz, a "what if?" moment sent them on their Biblical adventures. Max, a black Scottish terrier, was tussling with Lizette, his sometimes-pal cat.
"I remember thinking, 'Can you imagine the cats and dogs on Noah's Ark? How did they ever get along?' It was one of those light bulb over the head moments. Before long, I was writing the story." In that first book, "The Ark, the Reed & the Fire Cloud," Max and Liz help foil a plot by some of the ark-bound animals to kill Noah and wipe out what's left of mankind.
After that, the books continued to flow from Cote's creative imagination. The pet pals walked through the Bible, meeting pharaohs, prophets and disciples up to the fall of Rome. They currently are in the process of meeting more modern historical characters. They have more friends. Max and Liz have grown to the Epic Order of the Seven, all of whom help in their historical adventures.
Sadly, Max passed away last year. In the books, though, he's still spry as ever. "I literally received thousands of cards and emails from kids when Max was sick," Cote said. "It meant so much to me to know he had touched the lives of so many people.
"And it goes to show that kids will read, if it's something interesting to them. They'll go anywhere with Max and Liz."
Staff writer Chick Jacobs can be reached at jacobsc@fayobserver.com or 486-3515.