25 February 2016

Author Q&A Session #55: With Ann Jacobus


Good Afternoon my dear readers and followers,

Hope y'all are having a great day or  some might be wrapping up their great day and going to sleep. All right, it's been quite a while, since I posted  about an author interview. So today it's time for another new interview with another fascinating author talking about his/her equally enchanting books. Ann Jacobus, the debut YA writer is here today to talk about her new book, Romancing the Dark in the City of Light, the city, Paris, and about her life as an author. So stay tuned and scroll below to read this inspiring interview.

Read the review of Romancing the Dark in the City of Light




Me: Hello and welcome to my blog, Ann. Congratulations on your new book, Romancing the Dark in the City of Light. How will you express your feelings about this book that has already won the hearts of so many readers?


Ann: Thank you, Aditi! I hope that RTDITCOL will add to the much-needed and growing discussion about mental health. Main character Summer is trying to cope with several serious mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, and that she is addicted to alcohol. She becomes suicidal. These are heavy themes, but important ones that many young readers or their loved ones must deal with. RTDITCOL also takes place in France and while the main character and some others are American, much of the rest of the “cast” is from around the world. It’s a thriller, too, as Summer has to make important choices, including spending time with a great guy, or one who is not only a negative influence, but puts Summer’s life in danger!


Me: How did you research for the book which involves such a dark theme, suicide among teens?

Ann: I volunteer on a suicide crisis line every week and have done lots of research over the years on the subject. I have personal experience with depression, which is not only difficult for the sufferer, but also for their families. The problem with suicide is that stigma prevents us from talking about it. And for someone who is considering it, silence can lead to death. It’s entirely preventable, but only if we talk about it. And in the case of young adults who can be more impulsive, and lack the perspective to know that things can and almost always will get better, a death by suicide is a tremendous tragedy.


Me: Tell us one trait of Summer that intrigues you the most.

Ann: I like Summer’s dry sense of humor, even though it can be sarcastic. She can still find a glimmer of humor in even the darkest, most desperate moments, and this is a form of grace. I admire her fortitude too, as she has been coping alone as best she could with many very difficult things for a long time.


Me: How will you describe your journey so far as an author? Was it always your one true dream to be an author?

Ann: It was always my dream to be involved with stories, although when I was younger, I wanted to be involved with theater, as an actor or a director. But a writer, from her seat in a chair, gets to act out all the characters in a story, produce, direct, scout locations and props, and design costumes (and not even have to sew them!), so I love it. I have been writing all my life, but started pursuing it seriously about fifteen years ago. Learning to write a novel takes (me) a long time.


Me: What's next up on your writing sleeves? Please tell us briefly about it.

Ann: I’m working on a companion-book, a sort-of sequel to Romancing the Dark. Summer lives now in San Francisco with her Aunt Liz, where she volunteers on a suicide hotline, and goes to community college. One or two characters from RTDITCOL show up, and there are many new ones.


Me: Thanks Ann for joining me today on this interview session. I wish you luck for all your future endeavors.

Ann: Thank you, Aditi, for having me!
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Ann's Bio:


Ann Jacobus writes children’s and YA fiction, blogs and tweets about it, and teaches writing. She has a B.S. from Dartmouth College and an MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts. In her spare time she volunteers on a suicide crisis line, attends her kids' soccer games, and reads. Her debut YA thriller is Romancing the Dark in the City of Light, out from Thomas Dunne Books/St. Martin’s Press October 6. 2015. San Francisco is home to her and her family.
















Connect with Ann on: Website | Facebook | Twitter Google Plus | Pinterest 

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