From Vocalist to Novelist

By Julie Duffin
December 2024 View more Books

To say Mim Eichmann is a bit of a creative type would be an understatement. Her career spans everything from vocal performer to artistic director and choreographer. When she retired 10 years ago, writing a historical-fiction novel was at the top of her bucket list. What started out as one book, ultimately grew into a series tracing four generations of women.

Tayvie’s Story, the standalone third book in the series, explores the journey of a young, biracial jazz singer who struggles to perfect her craft on two continents during World War II. “I’m fascinated with the disadvantages women faced in the 1890s through the 1970s,” Eichmann explains.“The common link in the books, other than the familial one, is that all three are singers, or attempting to be singers, despite the prejudices they face.”

Eichmann’s unique book launch for Tayvie’s Story in August helped her cross another item off her list. “I’ve always wanted to record some of the old tunes from the ’20s, ’30s, and ’40s with a jazz ensemble,” says Eichmann, who hails from the western suburbs. “Since many of the tunes are mentioned in the book, I decided to do a live performance. The concert was the debut for both the Vintage Jazz Ensemble and the book.” The recordings can be found at mimeichmann.com.

Photos: Mim Eichmann