Ask the Author: Naomi Jackson
Answered Questions (2)
Naomi Jackson
Hi Corrine,
Thanks for your question! I tried to present the family in a balanced way in order to create a rich portrait of each character and a true picture of the family unit as a whole. This was less designed to elicit readers' sympathy than to get at the emotional truth of the story.
Thanks for your question! I tried to present the family in a balanced way in order to create a rich portrait of each character and a true picture of the family unit as a whole. This was less designed to elicit readers' sympathy than to get at the emotional truth of the story.
Naomi Jackson
Thanks for this great question, Chad. I found inspiration for Hyacinth's character, and the integration of obeah (an African based spiritual practice in the Caribbean comparable to vodun or santeria) into Caribbean communities, in books by Caribbean writers. One of my favorite novels, Jamaica Kincaid's Annie John, features a grandmother character who's an obeah woman, and many other writers from the region have written about the duality of African-based traditional religions and Christianity. I wanted to tackle this issue in my fiction, and Hyacinth seemed like a perfect character with whom to explore this.
About Goodreads Q&A
Ask and answer questions about books!
You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.
See Featured Authors Answering Questions
Learn more