We chat with author Jessi Cole Jackson about Ruinous Creatures, which is a standalone romantasy debut about a woman who accidentally awakens the power to siphon magic from two phoenix skulls, binding her fate to a vengeful stranger and forcing them to navigate the devastating cost of their unbreakable bond.
Hi, Jessi! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
I grew up in rural Michigan—lakes, cornfields, and a whole lot of very practical people who would never call themselves artists. Which is funny, because they were constantly making things. Woodworking, sewing, baking, flower arranging, building, drawing—just quietly, beautifully creative all the time. It took me about twenty years to realize… oh. I’m like that too.
Even then, I wasn’t ready to say I wanted to be a writer. That felt too big. Too vulnerable. So I picked a “backup plan”: theatre. (Yes. I hear it too.)
Somehow, every time I tried to leave theatre, someone would offer me a cooler job at a fancier theatre, and I’d think, well, okay, just a little longer. So I spent twelve years building costumes for award-winning theatres in Cincinnati, DC, Philadelphia, Princeton, and the north shore of Boston.
Eventually, I went back to school and got my MFA in writing at Hollins University. After that, I finally made the leap. I left theatre, moved back to rural Michigan where I spend as much time as I can being creative.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
My love for stories began in early childhood for sure. I loved reading and being read to, playing pretend with my cousins, or if they weren’t around, by myself with my Barbies.
The first totally fictional story I remember writing was in third or fourth grade. Before then, I had essentially written fan fiction with me playing the role of aforementioned Barbie. But my original IP story was about white, brown, and white flowers that turned into puppies when it rained.
I suppose I’ve always been into magic.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: Jesse Bear, What Will You Wear? by Nancy White Carlstrom
- The one that made you want to become an author: Holly Black’s Tithe
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: A Bit Much: Poems by Lyndsay Rush
Your debut novel, Ruinous Creatures, is out March 10th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Not too shabby, I hope.
But more seriously, I hope readers find it lush, macabre, spicy, furious, and tender.
What can readers expect?
A story full of magic and spice, that explores what it means to be good, or ruinous, and how to embrace the complexities of our own inner world. The world of the novel is dark and lush, but the story is one full of hope.
Where did the inspiration for Ruinous Creatures come from?
I came across a Dior Spring 2021 haute couture shoot back when Twitter was still a thing, and then this illustration of a woman wearing a unicorn skull around the same time. The juxtaposition inside the images kept looping through my mind–the lush and the macabre; silk and bone—and I started wondering what kind of world would make these feel normal. And who would fit in that world…or not.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
So many! One of my favorite that I haven’t chatted about much is the relationship between Kian and his ex, Ulric. They have a relationship that’s both complex and wholesome and I really loved exploring what friendship after a romantic relationship could look like.
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
The main challenge was a major life event–having an infant unexpectedly join my household in the midst of a deadline! I’m a foster parent, but as a temporary respite provider, wasn’t expecting any long-term calls. Sometimes life throws you a curve ball.
I managed it with a lot of support from my agent and editor, family and friends, and from the sweet-natured newborn who slept wrapped against my chest while I wrote.
This is your debut novel! What was the road to becoming a published author like for you?
Long and winding! I started writing towards publication back in 2012. I spent quite a few years balancing novels and short stories, getting some of the short stories published, found writing community and took workshops, joined SFWA and SCBWI, earned my MFA, queried agents three times to varying levels of success, got three offers of representations from three amazing agents and signed with mine the week before the Covid shutdown, went out on submission, applied for IP projects, wrote more, and then finally sold Ruinous Creatures.
What’s next for you?
TBD! I’m in the midst of a project I’m loving with another in the wings, and while nothing is official yet, I’m hoping they’ll both be on shelves someday, along with many more of my books.
Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up this year?
So many! But to begin with a few: Sonia Tagliareni’s Deathbringer, Rachel Gillig’s The Knave and the Moon, and Isabel Stirling’s With All My Haunted Heart.
