Debut You is an interview feature on Our Stories Matter blog. Debut authors, who have released or have upcoming releases in 2021, are given five questions to answer about themselves and their book. Currently, the questions are the same for all authors. We hope you enjoy getting to know these new authors and can offer them your support.
Describe yourself in five words, then expound on one of them.
Passionate, tenacious, creative, helpful, and activist.
2020 made me realize that I am a diehard activist. Injustice doesn’t sit with me. I am physically unable to sit and just watch it unfold. I carry these grievances heavily, and I literally cannot rest until I’ve put some sort of plan into action to do something. (Interestingly, Rue, the main character of Wings of Ebony, is that way too.) Writing is my most prevalent form of activism. I write to resist. I also try to spend time with teens, fostering a love of reading. Literacy is the gateway to education. And education is critical to upward mobility. So, I’ll always beat that drum. My teacher-heart is forever at work. Haha.
Explain your writing procedure, such as how you come up with ideas, carve out time to write (or, if you can write anywhere at any time during the day), deal with writer’s block, or anything particular or peculiar.
I’m a recovering-pantser. Haha. I outline now because I find I can write more efficiently that way. So much of writing work happens before a single sentence of the story ever takes shape. Once I have a synopsis style outline, I break it into short chapter summaries. From there, I’m ready to start getting words down.
I’m usually a morning writer. But even if I write at night, I try to write at the same time each day. I see it as keeping my creative brain used to producing at that time of day. The consistency works for me (Could totally be all in my head, haha, but hey, it’s working for me.). But before I even put words on a page, my process begins with daydreaming. I read the summary for the chapter I plan to write in the AM, usually right before bed. I spend about half an hour before I fall asleep, envisioning how that scene will play out. I literally picture it in my mind, like a movie. When I wake up, I start typing. I try to shoot for one scene per day when I’m drafting.
Balance is the key to successful living. How do you balance the act of writing with other priorities, such as your job, family, or fun activities, and self-care?
Oh, man. I’m not great at this. I tend to work well in bursts. So when I have an idea or vision, I work to execute it as quickly as possible just so the messy first draft exists. From there, I take my time to re-outline and schedule revisions by writing them on my calendar. I try to pace myself, though. I’m admittedly not great at it. But I usually will write which scenes I want to work on each day, so before I even start revising, I can see how long my revision will take. Once I meet my goal for the day, I move on to something else—be it family time, a walk, a nap, binging reality TV, whatever!
Self-care for me this year has involved a lot of allowing myself to just be still. Being still is my least favorite thing and yet so critical to my ability to function. I am taking naps without feeling guilty. Letting laundry sit an extra few days because… in the grand scheme of things, does it really matter? The dishes will be fine if they’re not cleaned up right away. I’ve realized this year more than ever, that it’s time that we cannot get back.
And so I’m trying to be very intentional about sitting in moments. Because at the end of my life, I’m going to care more about that than whether or not the floors were swept regularly. Another thing I’m also doing is really curating a space that’s full of joy-giving things. Negativity is so contagious, be it headlines, people, et cetera. It can be so draining. I’m learning to protect my peace. I have to pour in before I can pour out. As a mom, this was a huge realization. It’s okay to take care of myself. In fact, it’s not okay not to. It does get really tough to balance things when work is busy. Debut season is an exciting ride, but I never imagined how busy it would be. So I don’t do any of this perfectly. I’m a work-in-progress, always.
Understanding your audience is essential. What do you know for sure about the audience you are writing for?
I spent a lot of time considering the kids I want to write to. I’m writing into a space that felt like a void for me when I was a child. Inner-city Black kids are especially dear to me as I was one. My teenage sisters are. We haven’t had a plethora of fictional stories to explore that reflect our world, our interests, and the things that are true and nostalgic to us. So, I’m working to create a body of fiction that fills some of that void.
In terms of genre, I love contemporary and fantasy equally but for different reasons. So, I set out to try to blend the genre in a way that hasn’t been done as much. I’m hoping to toe the line between the two genres and create a niche for myself, appealing to contemporary readers who aren’t typically pulled in by the denser world-building and slower pacing of some epic traditional fantasies; and those who love the imaginative wonder magic brings to the page.
Tell us about your book.
Wings of Ebony is a gritty, fast-paced, deeply emotional YA fantasy about an inner-city Black teen who must lean into her ancestor’s magic to protect her community from violence, drugs, and crime. It’s perfect for fans of Black Panther, The Hate U Give, Wonder Woman, and The Hunger Games.
J. Elle is an author and advocate for marginalized voices in both publishing and her community. Born in Houston, Texas, Jess is a first-generation college student with a Bachelor of Journalism and Master of Arts in Educational Administration and Human Development. Her passion for empowering youth dates back before writing to her first career in education. She’s worked as a Preschool Director, Middle School Teacher, and High School Creative Writing Mentor. In her spare time, you’ll find her volunteering at an alternative school, providing feedback for aspiring writers, loving on her three littles, or cooking up some dish true to her Texas and Louisiana roots.
Wings of Ebony (Denene Millner Books/Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, January 26, 2021, YA, 368 Pages) Pre-order
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