Better Said Than Done’s Founder and CEO, Jessica Robinson, has been sharing her true, personal stories on stage for years, and then last month, she released her first novel, Caged! We asked her for details about her new book and what else she’s working on…
Mary: What inspired you to write Caged?
Jessica: I had been working on a novel for about 4 years based, in part, on a very personal chapter of my life. Everyone who read my chapters said the writing was good but there wasn’t much of a plot and there wasn’t a lot driving the action. So, I just pulled a 180 and decided I’d write something that was all action, all plot, and not at all about my life. So, yeah, vampires and zombies.
Mary: I haven’t seen any evidence that you’re a vampire, zombie, scientist, or federal agent, but are there any personal experiences you drew on for Caged?
Jessica: The character I am closest to and who is closest to me in the book is Cate. I drew on personal experience a lot with her. She’s quite damaged, having lost her entire family and the love of her life in one tragic incident. My loss isn’t the same as hers, but I know what it feels like to be orphaned and to not have anyone there to support you. She’s buried her emotions deep within her so she can carry out what she feels is her duty and I have been in that place before. Again, it didn’t involve combating vampires, but that sense of continuing on and suppressing anything that would get in the way is an old frenemy of mine.
Mary: How did your writing process differ for your novel from the nonfiction stories you write for Better Said Than Done?
Jessica: First, writing fiction is both easier and harder than writing nonfiction. It’s easier because you are not constrained by true events. You can make the story go whatever direction you want. It’s harder because you have unlimited choices. It’s like putting together a 48-piece puzzle with 10,000 puzzle pieces in front of you, instead of the 48 life gives you for true storytelling.
I guess that’s really the main difference. With Better Said Than Done, I have a story to tell already, I just have to figure out how to put it out there. With Caged, I had to invent the story, the characters, and the world. It took a bit more time and energy than any true stories I’ve ever written.
Mary: You mentioned creating the world in which the story is set: that includes what technology exists, the historical context for the story, and the “rules” for your vampires and zombies. Did you find that liberating or challenging compared to writing something set in a contemporary, non-fantasy setting?
Jessica: The most difficult part was knowing how much to explain. I didn’t invent the monsters – zombies and vampires are already well-known – but they have been shown in different ways over the years, so I did have to do some defining. My vampires, for example, don’t sparkle in sunlight, nor do they burst into flames. Exposition can kill pacing and so I tried very hard to give enough explanation of the world and the rules, but to parse it out and not make it overwhelming. It’s a fine line to walk.
Mary: Is it difficult to create well-rounded characters, giving a lot of thought to their back stories and emotions and needs, that you then put in harm’s way?
Jessica: Without giving too much away, there were two scenes in this book that made me cry every time I had to work on them. So, yeah, it’s hard being mean, even to fictional characters.
Mary: Which scares you more: vampires or zombies?
Jessica: Zombies, 100 percent. I have had nightmares about them since I was about 6 years old and watched Night of the Living Dead. Something about a creature that can’t be reasoned with – something about the idea of turning into a mindless creature – terrifies me.
(Mary: For me, it’s vampires, I think because they could hide their vampirism and blend in, until it’s too late!)
Mary: Since this is the first book in the trilogy, any hints on what we can expect in the next two books?
Jessica: I am so hoping to get Book 2 to my editor by May and then released before the end of Summer 2017. I don’t want to spoil anything for anyone who hasn’t finished Caged, but at least two of the characters are in the sequel. And then there’s a host of new characters. My idea is to expand a bit in Book 2 – to widen the focus – and then again in Book 3. Book 1, for the most part, takes place in one night and one building. Book 2 encompasses several days and several locations. Book 3, well, that’s going wider still.
Mary: People who are fans of _____ are likely to enjoy Caged.
Jessica: Die Hard
The X-Files
Resident Evil
Mary: What is some of the other fiction you’ve written?
Jessica: I have written a couple of screenplays and friends who have read Caged say it reads like it would make a great movie. I happen to agree. I’ve also written short stories; one of these days, I’ll either submit them to literary magazines or publish them as a collection.
Mary: Your book is an urban fantasy. What genres do you like to read, or what are some of your favorite works of fiction?
Jessica: I’m a reader. I don’t discriminate. Really.
- I love the Dublin Murder Squad series by Tana French. I’m almost done with Book 6, which came out a couple weeks ago, and I can’t wait for her next novel.
- I have a huge crush on Kevin Hearne – or, really, on Oberon, the sausage-loving wolfhound – for giving us The Iron Druid Chronicles. He makes writing seem so easy.
- I recently devoured the Mistborn Trilogy, by Brandon Sanderson.
- And I love everything by Guy Gavriel Kay, but especially The Lions of Al-Rassan.
- Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke is amazing. It’s like Middlemarch, but with a magicians’ guild.
- And Christopher Moore makes me smile, especially The Stupidest Angel, a Christmas story with zombies, and a dog!
I have a list of about 50 all-time favorite books so I can’t get into all of them, but those are a few by current authors that people should check out.
Mary: I’m going to suggest folks follow you on GoodReads to keep up with your most current recommendations. And news about your books!
Buy Caged today on Amazon.
