Plain Jane 3

About the Book

The stories contained in this book were told to children in Albania many years ago. Some may appear harsh, confusing, or antiquated to contemporary readers, but they are best understood as stories written for us and not to us. Albania is an ancient and rich culture with centuries of tradition, so please read these stories with that in mind. In Plain Jane 3, I will share childhood stories that I heard growing up. Although my grandparents and great-grandparents were uneducated people, they were very smart, though quite old-fashioned. They taught me the value of hard work and how to enjoy the simple pleasures of life.

About the Author

Jane Coma was born on March 17, 1962, in Shum, a small old village in the country of Macedonia (formally Republic of Yugoslavia) as one of six children. After a childhood of hardship of working the fields, chopping firewood, and being under the reins of her very opinionated father, she tried to escape his wrath by marrying at sixteen into a family who would ultimately see her as their servant and not their daughter-in-law. She would eventually give them four beautiful grandchildren, one girl and three boys. Nine long years of slavery to her husband’s parents and grandparents had passed when she was given the opportunity to come to America for freedom and opportunity, none of which came to light until she escaped from the beatings and infidelity of her controlling and abusive husband. The responsibilities of a single mother took over her life and led to what it is today.