Friday, January 20, 2012

Day Twenty - All About Jessica Spotswood ( Born Wicked)

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Debutante Profile

Name - Jessica Spotswood
Debut - Born Wicked
Genre - Historical Fantasy
Website - HERE
Blog - HERE
Twitter - HERE

Jessica Spotswood is the author of BORN WICKED, the first book in the Cahill Witch Chronicles, coming Feb. 7, 2012 from Putnam. She likes reading stories about independent girls who still get in a fair amount of swoony kissing, so that's what she tries to write. She lives in Washington, DC with her playwright husband and a cuddly cat named Monkey.

Dream Debutante Dress - GORGEOUS Jessica! You sure know who to pick them!


Notes from a YA Debutante

Author Journey

When I went to college, I knew that I wanted to be a writer. I had always wanted to be a writer. I wrote three sprawling historical fiction romances in high school; I was the darling of my English teachers, The Writer of my high school class. But in college, there were oodles of other writers, wordsmiths who wrote stunning poetry and piercingly funny plays and gorgeous, thoughtful literary fiction. In comparison, I felt like my romances were stupid and girly and childish. Instead of feeling proud of my writing, I started to feel sort of ashamed. I still took creative writing classes, but the magic had gone out of it; I was always thinking about potential readers and their potentially snarky critiques. 

Then I fell in love with theatre, especially dramaturgy--analyzing scripts, researching past productions and historical details.That's what I went to grad school for. I loved working with playwrights on new plays, finding the places of greatest potential in them and trying to help draw that out. I loved the creative collaboration. Working in the background felt safe--but eventually I also started to feel invisible. I was always on the outside, looking in, not quite part of the cast. Actors were not always terribly interested in or grateful for the research I lovingly compiled. Directors weren't sure how to use me. I questioned my place in the rehearsal room all the time. And I missed creating something of my own. By the end of grad school, I was miserable and depressed. I couldn't find a job in theatre. More than that--in my heart of hearts, I didn't want to. But admitting that, after spending three years in grad school--that was hard.

I coped by rereading my favorite books: Anne of Green Gables. Emily of New Moon. Little Women. Christopher Pike and Lois Duncan. Jane Austen. Then I started reading current YA. Vampire Academy. Wicked Lovely. And yes, Twilight. I remember writing a scene, an argument between two girls, at work one afternoon, and emailing it to my best friend, asking if she thought it was interesting, if it made her want to read more. 

Thank God, she wrote back an enthusiastic yes. 

I wrote a few chapters. I took a month off to dramaturg a friend's play. It took me awhile to admit that writing was what I wanted to do, maybe had always wanted to do, in a deep-down terrifying kind of way. It was scary in the way that things you really, really love are scary.  I accepted that--and accepted that, yeah, I wanted to write about finding yourself and falling in love and kissing. 

And you know what? I don't give a flying eff if it's girly. 

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Bookie's Note: We're down to our last three debutantes! Boo, the event is nearly over :( Everyone, welcome our tenth 2012 Debutante, Jessica Spotswood. I can't think of anyone who doesn't know who she is! It's must be a hard journey, like you said so many other aspiring writers out there! Even I want to be a writer, tough but you made it ;) And to everyone else, come back tomorrow!

Badass Bookie xx

33 comments:

  1. I never knew there was a thing called dramaturgy. Very interesting.

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  2. Love your Debutante dress, it's gorgeous! Sounds like it was a hard journey, but at least you finally got there! :)

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  3. what a beauty/dress and chicka]
    all the best w/ the debut

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  4. Wow! In college I hated to write - absolutely hated written English courses. Since becoming a teacher, I have a new appreciation for the writing process, and all that goes into it!!!

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  5. That dress is really fabulous! The workmanship is phenomenal!

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  6. I just won a copy of Born Wicked, and now I'm even more excited to read it! And wow, that dress is gorgeous!:)

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  7. Pretty dress :) And it sucks that the actors didn't really appreciate the hard work you were doing, but at least that meant that you turned to writing, and writing this great book! And other future great books! :)

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  8. wow, i understand this feeling of embarrassment because of the judgement of other people. Still, your book is GORGEOUS and THAT DRESS !! I WANT IT!!! great pick, honestly.

    - juhina

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  9. WOW that's some dress!

    I love how Jessica went from writing to dramaturgy and back - I did too!

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  10. Ohh, that is SUCH a pretty dress! I would kill for that :)

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  11. Love the dress! I'm normally not a big fan of historical fantasy, however Jessica sounds awesome and so does her book!

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  12. I've so been looking forward to this one. Great cover too.

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  13. WOW! Look at that dress and landscape! Talk about ethereal! Great pick! It's the same color as the one on the cover!

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  14. Thanks for sharing your story. It's really inspirational to those of us who might not be happy with where we're currently at either.

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  15. That dress is so gorgeous!! You have excellent taste. Thank you so much for sharing your story with us. I love the book Anne of Green Gables too!!

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  16. It sounds like you went through quite a process to realize what you wanted to do. I can' certainly relate !

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  17. I love this dress! It's BEAUTIFUL <3 The cover of the book is intuging. Can't wait to read it!

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  18. That dress is gorgeous!! It would really suit you!!! Thank you for stopping by and sharing with all of us!! I can't wait to get my hands on this book.

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  19. that is a Beautiful dress!!!! love the interview

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  20. Whoah, amaaaazing dress! & it'd look better on you than on that twig-person. XD Loved your post, and I can't wait to read your debut.

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  21. That is such a pretty dress.
    Latoya

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  22. That dress is gorgeous!! What a perfect shade of pink!

    Is it February 7 yet?? I have been dying to get my hands on Born Wicked!!

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  23. Thanks for sharing your writing journey :) And pretty dress :D

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  24. Awesome dress.....and there is nothing wrong with girly!! lol
    Tristan @ Reads With Wreckless Abandon

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  25. GORGEOUS...no, what a BREATHTAKING dress that is!! Totally love it :D and being girly totally rules :P

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  26. I love that dress. I would never be able to pull it off, but it's gorgeous! I looks almost edible... I can't wait for Born Wicked! I week left!

    Karis @YA Litwit

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  27. Oh beautiful dress :) I love that journey too! I wish you all the very best with your future writing career and I already can't WAIT to read what you have to write.

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  28. Pretty awesome dress!! Thanks for sharing.

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  29. Omg! The dress! So girly and romantic!

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  30. Beautiful dress! Can't wait to read this book.

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  31. The color of her dress is so pretty and peachy. I love it and the dress looks like it does not weight much. hehe. :) I am so looking forward to reading this book. It sounds amazing!

    - Beckie

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  32. What a pretty dress! Loved this post!

    - Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl

    (GFC - Jana)

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