"Reminds me, in tone, of Texas classics like The Time it Never Rained and Giant. I loved it. Alexander is a great new talent in the genre of Texana."
An Interview with Jann Alexander
What inspired you to start writing?
I’ve been a creative spirit for as long as I can remember, beginning as a child who wrote stories and drew fashion designs. When I became an art director for ad agencies and magazines in the D.C. area, I turned to design, and later on, as a painter, photographer, and art gallery owner, fine art was my practice, creativity my passion. For my third act, while blogging on all a creative mix of topics, I transformed my lifelong storytelling habit into writing novels.
What was the hardest part about writing this book?
Wrangling ten years of historical research into one novel was by far the most challenging thing about writing Unspoken. When I left the east coast for Austin, Texas, twenty years ago, my newfound zeal for Texas history emerged. Researching, and organizing what I found, was a passion that overtook me for years. In the stories from the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl in the U.S., I found historical events which shocked me, and historical figures I admired.
Eventually the little-known histories I’d uncovered renewed my urge to write this novel, which quickly became the length of two. When faced with the task of paring that down, ruthlessly, a series was born. Unspoken is the first book in The Dust Series, and now, the sequel (working title: Overdue) nears completion, awaiting my final edits.
Does one of the main characters hold a special place in your heart? If so, why?
I know Ruby well, and I’m very fond of her tenacity, her quirks, her independence, and always, her resourcefulness. If she gets in trouble, she will find her way out — as the mother of a beloved historical celebrity described her own daughter in Unspoken. And Ruby took that to heart. I admire her ability to adapt, and recognize her found family will sustain her in the absence of the one she longs for. I am awed by her fierceness, and gratified when she eventually allows herself to love and be loved.
If your book was to be made into a movie, who are the celebrities that would star in it?
Younger actors, not well-known yet, but with the spunk and spirit to play Ruby and her brother, Will, are Kathryn Prescott and Jacob Lofland; both appeared in the AMC series, The Son, 2017-2019. Amy Adams, or Jennifer Lawrence, would do a fine job as Willa Mae in her youth, and in her descent.
What do you hope your readers take away from this book?
In the 1930s and 1940s in Unspoken, I explore themes of upheaval, betrayal, family estrangement, families lost and found, homelessness, and poverty — the news we wake up to in today’s headlines. Today, as then, humans endure and survive, even thrive, with a quiet resilience — as they did during the Great Depression, the 1930s Dust Bowl, world war, and beyond. When tragedy strikes now, as it did then, the most resourceful ones (often, the women) have the tenacity and spirit needed to persevere. I hope readers reflect on what it takes to meet challenges head-on, while holding tight to hope, love, and family.
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Thank you very much for hosting Jann Alexander on your blog today, with such a fabulous interview.
ReplyDeleteTake care,
Cathie xx
The Coffee Pot Book Club