Danielle Jackson on Taking Things in Stride

It’s time for a new interview series… like NOW. No really, actually it’s called NOW (Newly Omniscient Authors). This blog has been publishing since 2011, and some of the earlier posts feel too hopeful dated. To honor the relaunch of the site, I thought I’d invite some of my past guests to read and ruminate on their answers to questions from oh-so-long-ago to see what’s changed between then and now.

Today’s guest for the NOW is Danielle Jackson, the author of The Accidental Pinup which is the story of rival photographers who are forced to collaborate on a body-positive lingerie campaign, but they might have to readjust their focus when sparks fly.

Has how you think (and talk) about writing and publishing changed, further into your career?

I think there are so many opportunities for different authors to showcase their storytelling. When I first started working in publishing (way back in 2008), there was an ongoing conversation about “discoverability”—how do readers find books? How do they find their auto-buy authors? With the advent and importance of social media, readers can find exactly what they want to read at any given moment. They can find authors who share their core values and speak directly to their id, and books what can scratch any reading itch. 

Let’s about the balance between the creative versus the business side of the industry. Do you think of yourself as an artiste or are you analyzing every aspect of your story for marketability? Has that changed from your early perspective?

I have been lucky in that I’ve worked with books from almost every angle possible—I was an English major, I worked as a publicist at a publisher, I was the editorial manager for a review website, and I’m the events coordinator at an independent bookstore. So on the one hand, I’ve known what to expect throughout the journey to my debut release. On the other hand, I definitely have had to compartmentalize what I know—including what can go wrong!—but I also know that so much is out of my control once my book is available to the general public. And that is mostly what I keep in mind when I’m close to spiraling over some setback and negative review. It's mostly about balance, but I’m human! I still get upset over the little things. And I relate to the authors I used to work with way more, on a different level. 

The bloom is off the rose… what’s faded for you, this far out from debut?

So, The Accidental Pinup is actually my debut novel! But I’ve been a part of publishing for over a decade, and like I mentioned earlier, having worked on so many sides of the publishing process and book business, I have a unique sense of what has changed over the years. Considering when I first started working in publishing I was writing but not necessarily with the intent to be published and now I have a book available, there’s been a change in how I look at the things we all go through as authors. There’s a lot going on behind the scenes that readers don’t know about, and until they are in the midst of publishing, many authors don’t know about as well. I wouldn’t say things have faded per se, but my perspective has continued to evolve, and I take everything in stride and I try to think about things from a variety of sides before making decisions that could impact my career as an author. 

Likewise, is there anything you’ve grown to love (or at least accept) that you never thought you would?

I love the comradery among authors—especially among romance authors! The citizens of Romancelandia are so special and I’m glad to be a part of it. 

And lastly, what did getting published mean for you and how was it changed (or not changed!) your life?

Getting published is a dream come true! For as long as I can remember, I’ve loved books. I remember being read to when I was little, and I remember staying up all night to finish any number of unputdownable books over the years. To think that someone may feel this way while reading my book is amazing, and I hope I can bring readers the joy I’ve felt as someone who not only loves to read, but also loves sharing books with other people through my “day job.” I have such appreciation for the people who have helped me get to this point along the way and I cannot wait to see what is next. 

Danielle Jackson is a contemporary romance author, avid reader, lackluster-yet-mighty crafter, and accomplished TV binge-watcher. Once upon a time, she was a publicist in publishing and continues to cultivate her love of books and reading by chatting with the best authors in the business as an event coordinator at an independent bookstore and as the co-host of the Fresh Fiction podcast. She also moderates panels, interviews authors, and hosts a romance book club. Danielle lives in Chicagoland with her very own romance hero husband, darling daughter, and two tempestuous cats. For more information, visit https://daniellejacksonbooks.com/ and follow her on Twitter and Instagram, @DJacksonBooks.

Beyond Body Positivity

By Danielle Jackson, author of The Accidental Pinup

I knew when I first started writing The Accidental Pinup that I wanted the heroine of this book to be confident. It didn’t matter what she looked like, how she wore her hair, or what the world perceived her to be… Cassie Harris was going to love herself and know her worth. The fact is that other people—other characters on page, even—discount Cassie because she’s a plus size Black woman business owner trying to catch her big break to take her career and boudoir photography studio to the next level. But Cassie knows from the start that she’s the best and she deserves to be respected for the job she’s been hired to do.

But when that job morphs from being the photographer to the photographed? Even Cassie, a confident woman who loves her body and curves, has her doubts. Because it’s not just any old photo shoot she’s now starring in… It’s a sexy lingerie ad campaign. Now, Cassie has experience with lingerie photography; she’s the owner of Buxom Boudoir, Chicago’s premiere boudoir and pinup photography studio. She makes her clients feel comfortable and powerful and beautiful at their most vulnerable. And when she has to model dreamy lingerie in front of Reid Montgomery, a fellow photographer with a bit of a bad boy reputation, Cassie isn’t insecure about how she’s going to look, she’s worried about doing a good job in a situation she wasn’t anticipating. 

It was important to me that Cassie didn’t just practice body positivity, but body acceptance. Cassie’s hot and she knows it. But though she’s used to calling the shots on set and aside from goofing off with her friends, she hasn’t been a model. To bring her vision fully to life for the photo shoot in question she has to pose, scantily clad, outside… in winter. In Chicago! But beyond thinking she looks great, Cassie also has to feel it. It’s through these photo shoots and seeing the photographs after the fact that Cassie really embraces that she’s beautiful, powerful, and in charge of how the world is going to see her. 

And the fact that Reid thinks all of this, too, is icing on the cake. But that’s an entirely different blog post ;-) 

Body positivity, body neutrality, and body acceptance are all different things—yes, we should find different bodies beautiful. Yes, we shouldn’t judge people based solely on their outward appearance (because you really don’t know what is going on with someone, the size of their body notwithstanding). But above all, we should accept people as they are. It’s easy to judge someone by what is presented to us first and foremost, and it’s often hard to go beyond the surface. But we owe it to each other to get to know people and understand their values and motivations. And I hope, through this fun love story, more people start to do exactly that. 

Danielle Jackson is a contemporary romance author, avid reader, lackluster-yet-mighty crafter, and accomplished TV binge-watcher. Once upon a time, she was a publicist in publishing and continues to cultivate her love of books and reading by chatting with the best authors in the business as an event coordinator at an independent bookstore and as the co-host of the Fresh Fiction podcast. She also moderates panels, interviews authors, and hosts a romance book club. Danielle lives in Chicagoland with her very own romance hero husband, darling daughter, and two tempestuous cats. For more information, visit https://daniellejacksonbooks.com/ and follow her on Twitter and Instagram, @DJacksonBooks.

Jesmeen Kaur Deo on Writing About Female Body Hair Stigma

Inspiration is a funny thing. It can come to us like a lightning bolt, through the lyrics of a song, or in the fog of a dream. Ask any writer where their stories come from and you’ll get a myriad of answers, and in that vein I created the WHAT (What the Hell Are you Thinking?) interview.

Today’s guest for the WHAT is Jesmeen Kaur Deo, author of TJ Powar Has Something to Prove, a charming rom-com about high school debater who—after becoming the subject of an ugly meme—makes a resolution to stop shaving, plucking, and waxing, and prove that she can be her hairy self and still be beautiful

Ideas for our books can come from just about anywhere, and sometimes even we can’t pinpoint exactly how or why. Did you have a specific origin point for your book?

I do remember the idea to write a book about body hair stigma came to me all at once. But I don't remember exactly how, or what I was thinking at the time. I think it had something to do with discussions I'd been having with a friend about how ugly women are rarely afforded love stories. That, and the culmination of my teen years wondering how all these female YA protagonists never seemed to care about or mention their body hair at all, were big catalysts for this book.

Once the original concept existed, how did you build a plot around it?

I'd always wanted to write a story about high school debate, but hadn't found the right angle for it until the body hair stigma idea came to me. I wondered if the two concepts could co-exist in the same story. The more I thought about it, the more it made sense. And so debate became the structural basis for the plot. From an emotional standpoint, I knew where I wanted TJ to start and where she should end up; a lot of the main beats of the story got filled in with debate related things!

Have you ever had the plot firmly in place, only to find it changing as the story moved from your mind to paper?

Many times! The bones of this book didn't change from what I wanted it to be, although it grew more nuanced and refined as time went on. But other stories I've written for sure have changed a lot. Sometimes the vision in your head doesn't translate well on the page because there are so many things you're forced to think through when actually writing it down! And sometimes I start out with a vision but quickly realize I'm not passionate enough about it. That it needs something else, which I can only figure out by writing through it.

Do story ideas come to you often, or is fresh material hard to come by?

Very hard to come by. I'm not one of those amazing authors who can develop new ideas at the drop of a hat. If I'm lucky, I get 1-2 new book ideas a year. But I'm also a slow writer, so it's fine!

How do you choose which story to write next, if you’ve got more than one percolating?

Part of it is my mood and what's going on in my life at the moment. For example, sometimes I need to write something light when life is challenging (such was the case with TJ, actually), and other times I want to write something heavy precisely because life is challenging and it's cathartic. Another factor in my decision making is strategy. I look at what's going on in traditional publishing, what's selling, what's hot right now, and then look at my WIPs and try to figure out which one might have the best shot at getting published in the current climate. I would try to prioritize that one. But sometimes, I can't control it. If my heart is set on a particular story, and just that one thing, then strategy be damned. I will chase that story that speaks to me.

I have 6 cats and a Dalmatian (seriously, check my Instagram feed) and I usually have at least one or two snuggling with me when I write. Do you have a writing buddy, or do you find it distracting?

That sounds adorable! I don't have any pets, so I don't know whether I'd find them distracting. I do know I don't like writing with other people. I need it to just be me and the story. Some writers find that lonely, and I completely get why. But I love it!

Jesmeen Kaur Deo grew up in northern British Columbia, where she spent most of her childhood daydreaming. She loves books that can make her laugh and tug at her heartstrings in the same paragraph. When not wrapped up in stories, she can be found biking, playing the harmonium, or struggling to open jars. TJ Powar Has Something to Prove is her debut novel.