Jessica Dazzo's Blog
July 8, 2018
About Super Me
When I started writing Super Me, (back in 2008!), I hadn’t chosen young adult or supernatural/paranormal, specifically, and was instead open to whatever story evolved. It wasn’t my first full-length novel, but it was the first that I saw all the way through to completion—through many drafts, edits, and feedback. The story was written from a first-person perspective from the start, always through Faye’s eyes (though her name was ‘Shay’ in the beginning—it was changed early on). I didn’t have a plot in mind and I definitely didn’t know how the story would end. This was a time for me when I just wrote and I enjoyed seeing how the story unfolded as I went along. When the first draft was finished, I had a rough idea of what I wanted to say and took the manuscript through revision after revision until the pieces fell into place and the story was complete. Over the years, I had a baby girl (later another). I wrote during nap times and then during school hours, sometimes sneaking away to Faye’s world at a coffee shop on a weeknight or weekend morning.
What’s interesting about Faye is that even though she feels as though she doesn’t fit in, there isn’t really any reason she can’t. The walls between her and others at school are self-erected. I believe that’s true to how we feel in high school, at least it was for me! Poor Faye, I put her through the ringer, and very much enjoyed throwing her into awkward situations where she squirmed, trying to work her way out and often making the situation so much worse. Faye is sarcastic, insecure, and sometimes self-deprecating, but is perfectly capable—though she doesn’t realize it. At its core, this is a story of self-acceptance--with a bit of love, a bit of magic, a little mystery, and hopefully some smiles along the way.
Faye, Lucan, and the others in Pinecone Creek became real to me and I told their story in the best way I was able. I hope you enjoy it.
What’s interesting about Faye is that even though she feels as though she doesn’t fit in, there isn’t really any reason she can’t. The walls between her and others at school are self-erected. I believe that’s true to how we feel in high school, at least it was for me! Poor Faye, I put her through the ringer, and very much enjoyed throwing her into awkward situations where she squirmed, trying to work her way out and often making the situation so much worse. Faye is sarcastic, insecure, and sometimes self-deprecating, but is perfectly capable—though she doesn’t realize it. At its core, this is a story of self-acceptance--with a bit of love, a bit of magic, a little mystery, and hopefully some smiles along the way.
Faye, Lucan, and the others in Pinecone Creek became real to me and I told their story in the best way I was able. I hope you enjoy it.
