We chat with author Jennifer Dickinson about Maggie’s Big Break, which is a testament to the power of following your dreams and the importance of never giving up, perfect for anyone who loves a good friendship story and a love of theater.
Hi, Jennifer! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
I live in Los Angeles where in addition to being a short story writer and novelist, I work remotely as a book coach and creative writing teacher. My husband is a TV writer and we spend a lot of our time discussing stories and helping each other figure out the plots of our projects. I adore my two rescue pups, Mabel and Hattie and love swimming in the ocean whenever I can. I wake up every morning and go on a morning stroll through my backyard and admire all my beautiful plants.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
I began writing stories when I seven years old and my mom gave me an electric typewriter. I had a severe stutter and felt very powerless in my life as I was bullied frequently as a child. Writing provided me not only with an escape into my imagination, but gave me a sense of power as I loved creating entire worlds for my characters. Writing was also super fun and a way for me to imagine having a different kind of life– when I was eight I dreamt of living in New York City, shopping and going to nightclubs so a lot of my early work focused on characters doing those things!
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: Beezus and Ramona by Beverly Cleary
- The one that made you want to become an author: Are you there God? It’s me, Margaret. by Judy Blume
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo
Your debut novel, Maggie’s Big Break, is out April 30th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Courageous, Bold, Joyful, Funny, Loud
What can readers expect?
Maggie’s Big Break shines a light on an often misunderstood invisible disability–stuttering, and at the same time celebrates female friendship, courage, theater and risk. Oh, and flowers and the color pink, too.
Where did the inspiration for Maggie’s Big Break come from?
I was inspired to write about my own experience growing up with a stutter and finding courage and a home in the theater.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I’ve been lucky in my life to have friendships with amazing women all over the world and this book was an opportunity to celebrate that. For that reason, I loved writing about the friendship between Maggie and Olivia because I based their conversations and rapid-fire closeness on many experiences I’ve had in my own wonderful friendships.
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
In addition to being a fiction writer, I am also a book coach and writing teacher. I juggle my own writing with assisting other people with theirs and occasionally I find it difficult to balance working on the novel with the time commitment necessary to help others. What helps is having a daily schedule with clear goals and sticking to the schedule the best I can.
This is your debut novel! What was the road to becoming a published author like for you?
I queried two other novels between 2013 and 2018 with no luck and I was very discouraged. In 2019, I was inspired to tell a story based on my own life and wrote Maggie’s Big Break. In 2024 I sold the book to Includas Publishing. The path to book publication was not easy for me. But I knew in my bones I loved writing and I stuck to my belief that I was meant to be a published author. Most importantly I was determined to share Maggie’s story with the world because I want the novel to help kids feel validated and seen.
What’s next for you?
I am going to write the sequel to Maggie’s Big Break and write three short stories.
Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up this year?
Secret Rules to Being A Rock Star by Jessamyn Violet, Kin by Tayari Jones, City Summer, Country Summer by Kiese Laymon, Startlement: New and Selected Poems by Ada Limon
