Young Adult
Date Published: June 5, 2019
Publisher: Jan-Carol Publishing, Inc.
Betsy Blossom Brown is a coming-of-age story about a young girl who journeys from being an observer of life to a participant. Her seemingly idyllic life with her privileged South Carolina family is turned upside down, revealing truths and disarming pretensions. She's independent, opinionated, and brave. Uncertainty enters her life when she and her mother move to the Appalachian region until, through a series of unsettling events; she sheds her uncertainty and learns to embrace life. The graphite illustrations help to understand the depth of Betsy Blossom Brown, as she sketches her way through life recognizing her mild Asperger syndrome, without letting it curb her appetite for life.
Interview with Kathleen M. Jacobs
As a writer, what would you choose as your
mascot/avatar/spirit animal?
Oh, I love this
question! I’ve been asked this question
many times, and my answer never changes:
a flamingo. I strive every day to
find a balance between the time I dedicate to writing and the time I dedicate
to reading. There is so much cross-over
that it becomes an inviting challenge.
How many hours a day do you put into your writing?
I’m always writing, whether
it’s actually sitting in front of my laptop or on my phone or with a legal pad
and pencil or walking down the street or listening to conversations in
restaurants (can get a bit awkward, especially when I miss a word, and I can’t
ask for it to be repeated) . . .
Do you read your book reviews?
Absolutely. It’s a great way to get feedback on what
resonates with a reader and what might have missed the mark.
Do you leave hidden messages in your books that only a few
people will find?
Naturally, but the reader
would have to know me very well in order to identify them.
Can you tell us a little bit about the characters in Betsy Blossom
Brown?
The
protagonist in Betsy Blossom Brown and Honeysuckle Holiday are inquisitive,
assertive, and wise beyond their years.
I love a quote from Neil Gaiman:
“I like stories where women save themselves.” I humbly embrace it for each of my
characters.
Can you tell us a little bit about your next books or what you have
planned for the future?
My next
work will be released by the end of the year.
It is an early chapter book. My
current WIP is a creative non-fiction novella.
Do you have a certain number of words or pages you write per day?
I know
this process works for a number of writers, but I’ve never structured my
writing to fit a certain, set schedule.
What inspires you to write?
The
natural world around me gifts tremendous inspiration, but what drives me to
write is that it becomes the way I make sense of the world around me. I can’t imagine not writing. It was gifted to me from a very early age
through divine intervention.
Would you rather
Read fiction or
non-fiction?
YA-fiction and MG-fiction and
children’s
Read series or
stand-alone?
Stand-alone
Read Science fiction
or horror?
Suspense/Mystery
Read Stephen King or
Dean Koontz
50/50 (nearly impossible to
choose)
Read the book or
watch the movie?
Read the book – always
Read an ebook or
paperback?
It’s essential on so many levels
that I actually hold the printed book in my hands, smelling the ink on the
pages, turning the pages, touching the binding, looking at the beautiful end
pages, eventually sliding it between other treasures on my bookshelf.
Be trapped alone for
one month in a library with no computer or a room with a computer and Wi-Fi
only?
Ahhh, forever in a library with
no computer, just books, books, and more books, and the power of silence.
Do a cross-country
book store tour or blog tour online?
Both, because of the readers
that each would bring to the table.
About the Author
Kathleen M. Jacobs is the author of books for young readers. Her first YA-novel, Honeysuckle Holiday, has received critical acclaim. And her children’s book, Please Close It! has won numerous awards. She divides her time between New York City and the Appalachian region. She lives with her husband, John, and far too many books. Visit her website at www.kathleenmjacobs.com and on Instagram @kathleenm.jacobs.
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1 comments:
thanks for hosting
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