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Literary Spotlight: Joshilyn Jackson
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Joshilyn Jackson is the bestselling author of Gods in Alabama and Between Georgia. Her books have been described as southern Gothic laced with dark humor.
Q: Why is having a blog important?
A: “I looked at other authors’ web pages that were only updated every year. A blog diary experience makes the author more accessible. You connect with the reader for pleasure, not as a source of review.”
Q: How did you find an agent?
A: “I did what all the books say you should. I wrote query letters and an agent pulled mine out of a slush pile. An agent does more than sell books; he helps the writer through every stage of publication. He was very influential in helping me successfully distinguish between writing and publishing. Writing is intensely personal, while publishing is a business.”
Q: What have you learned from writing your first book?
A: “The longest journey is from your head down onto the page. I’m a reviser. I’ve gotten really fearless about trashing something if it doesn’t work. The trick is writing so the reader can access the world through your words. Being in a writers group with Sara Gruen (Water for Elephants) and others and having a writing partner also helps because they read with a good eye.”
Q: You’ve said a book is “not my child, but my boyfriend.” Explain.
A: “When I’ve finished a book it becomes an ex-boyfriend. We’re still friendly, but I move on to the next.”
Carlotta Holton is the author of Salem Pact and Touching The Dead, and is a member of the National Federation of Press Women and an affiliate member of the Horror Writers Association.
Carlotta Holton has just received her second award for Touching the Dead from the National Federation of Press Women Communications Contest. Click here to purchase the book.
