Angelica R. Jackson has been a very helpful critique partner over the years, and I’m excited to announce that we will be sharing a table together at this year’s Sacramento Book Festival. I was honored to feature her YA book, Crow’s Rest and her newest book, STAY, GIRL, is currently available. Have a look:
Bet Carter’s stepfather is a conman with a history of violence, and he’s trying to force thirteen-year-old Bet into that life, too. His controlling ways make Bet’s world smaller every day, until the death of her ailing mother gives the girl an opportunity to flee to her Uncle Earl’s.
Bet only planned a quick stopover in Amberfields, but after her uncle welcomes her into his home, she keeps finding excuses to stay. Bet wants to help Uncle Earl’s foster dog, Penny, learn to trust again—but how can the girl mend Penny’s spirit when her own is so broken?
Joining a hilarious prank war with her new friend Georgie goes a long way to making Bet feel at home in Amberfields. As Bet’s emotional armor softens, along with her reasons to leave, she finally allows herself to dream bigger.
This heartfelt coming-of-age story will have you cheering for a girl whose determination and optimism help her rediscover the healing power of love.
Book Trailer:
In our last interview, you said the following about writing: “[It] gives me the most joy—when I get the words right and I’m able to show what’s in my imagination to other people, and yet it’s still transformed and complemented by their own vision.” In which of the books you’ve written have you felt this most potently?
I felt like I got the balance of world building and character development right in Spellmeet: Faerie Crossed Book 3. Or at least I hope I did! It’s challenging to point the reader to the possibilities in a fantasy setting, without making the “rules” so stringent that there is no room for them to imagine “what ifs.” For myself, it puts me off when I’m reading a fantasy that spends most of its time explaining courtly rules or something like that. I prefer to have fun with fantasy settings because they lend themselves to the absurd.
Setting was still very important for Stay, Girl. I knew I was writing historical fiction that’s recent enough (the 1950s) for it to be nostalgic for some readers, instead of dry history from a textbook. I felt pressure to get the details right, but I also wanted it to have a relatable tone and feel. The small town of Amberfields needed to feel like Anytown, California, even though it’s based on a real town, Wheatland. And voice was so important for this one! The main character is thirteen, but she’s having to process a lot of her own feelings and to navigate a world that doesn’t always feel welcoming.
As to getting the words right…I had an extra struggle this time around. My cancer treatments left me with some memory issues (I used to be so good with names!) and at times it was challenging to get any words down, let alone to worry if they were “right.” But working on Stay, Girl, ended up helping with that quite a bit–like rehabbing a word choice muscle!
Sounds like it! STAY, GIRL also focuses on the relationship between Bet Carter and her Uncle Earl’s foster dog, Penny. How did you know this was a story you needed to write?
I started out wanting to write a “dog book” as a tribute to my own dogs I’ve loved over the years. Perhaps to give them another life, since their lifespan feels far too short to us? (This may be a good time to point out that no dogs die in Stay, Girl!)
All the dogs–and cats–I’ve loved helped me throughout my own childhood, so it seemed like a short leap to create the character of a young girl. Some of Bet’s experiences are semi-autobiographical, so I also wanted to show that you can find love and laughter in hard times. And who better to bring that out in Bet than dogs, who are the epitome of love and laughter? Plus, a healthy dose of mischief to remind her what it’s like to be a kid. We can all use that sometimes, no matter our age, right?
Absolutely! You’ve also said that publishing involves a lot of waiting. How do you cope when the process is more drawn out than you’d like?
I definitely have the type of brain that doesn’t like waiting, and also isn’t comfortable with things that are out of my control. Having another project in the queue certainly helps! I also am a research junkie, so even if the next project is just the seed of an idea, I can indulge myself by following wherever research leads me. Though I may not end up using all that information, I never feel it’s wasted time since it still helps me build the world in my head.
I’ve found the same thing! What are some of your goals for the coming year?
I haven’t given up writing YA entirely, but my next project is another Women’s Fiction or literary title. I’ve always enjoyed meeting readers at events, so I’m trying to schedule appearances at book events. I have done craft shows in the past and will likely do so again, but there’s nothing like a horde of readers descending on a book festival! Stay, Girl seems to attract book club readers more than my other books did, so I would like to be a guest at a book club sometime.
For more about Angelica R. Jackson and her books, you can visit
https://www.angelicarjackson.com/
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