Bladestay: a young adult Western by debut author Jackie Johnson
Author Interview + Book and Author Info + Pet Corner!
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Bladestay by Jackie Johnson
Be Careful Who You Root For
When a violent, decades-long feud between two powerful men comes to a head in the small settlement of Bladestay, Colorado, cunning resident Theo Creed must use her wits to stay alive.
Disguising herself as a young boy, seventeen-year-old Theo bluffs her way into the inner circle of August Gaines, the magnetic leader of the ruthless gang that has descended on her town. But the deeper Theo gets into the con, the more she starts to question her loyalties.
Complicating her subterfuge is a mysterious outlaw whose small moments of kindness contradict the blood he has on his hands, making Theo wonder who, exactly, is conning who.
To save her town, Theo must parse façade from reality and choose between the barefaced malevolence she’s infiltrated and an evil she didn’t know lurked at home.
To purchase Bladestay click any of the following links: Amazon, CamCat Books, Barnes and Noble, and Kobo.
Interview with Jackie Johnson, author of Bladestay
Bladestay features seventeen-year-old Theodora “Theo” Creed. What would you like readers to know about her?
Theo is an incredibly fun character because of her ability to slip from one persona to another without batting an eye.
She’s strategic, contemplative, has a razor sharp wit and a dry sense of humor, and carries a lot of rage underneath a cool demeanor. She’s highly protective but also deeply egotistical, which proves to be a tricky combination throughout her journey. All of these things just so happen to be an apt description of the antagonist as well, and as mirror images of each other, it all makes for some really tense, complicated conflict.
Bladestay is set in Colorado in the 19th century. What kind of research did you do to bring that era to life?
I studied history in college so I have a decent foundation, but my general process is I don’t do any serious research until I start my second draft, until I’m certain I know who my characters are and what they’re after.
Getting the cast right is always my first priority.
When it was time for me to build Bladestay’s world around the characters, I spent time in my textbooks and, of course, many hours scouring the Internet. The majority of my research was on the Mexican-American War, specifically its catalyst and aftermath, which plays a large role in the book.
Bladestay has a fair amount of graphic violence, but it’s also considered YA. How did you determine how much violence to include? Did you pull any punches as you were writing and editing your debut?
I pitched this book as both YA and adult. When I pitched it as adult, I had agents tell me it was YA because of the age of the protagonist, and I was told the opposite when I pitched it as YA because of its thematic elements.
When I wrote the book, I pulled zero punches, but in the editorial process, we cut a lot of the language and dulled some graphic detail. It’s still a stabby little book, but if it was a movie, it could have a PG-13 rating. Ultimately, I believe this book belongs in the Adult-YA Crossover section.
In addition to novels, you also write poetry. Tell us about that side of your writing experience:
I do! I think poetry and novel-writing are symbiotic—novels are big picture, and poetry is the microcosm. I’m usually inspired to write pieces of poetry based on any given novel I’m working on. It’s essentially a way for me to find a lyrical voice for the heavy issues I’m wrestling with in the story. For me, being a novelist is an addiction; being a poet is the fine tuning, putting melody to prose.
I’m a sucker for wordplay! Here’s a fun one:
When opportunity
comes mocking at your door
just take it with a reign of salt;
the stars—
it’s not their fault
The devil’s in the derails
but that’s not the hardest part:
it’s finding out this life
is for the feign of heart
I love this!
You live on a working ranch. Tell us about your horses and your real life cowboy love story:
I’ve been riding horses for about twenty-five years, and my husband and I both have a formal equestrian education.
We met when we were training at the same barn, under the same trainer. He’s a show-jumper, I did dressage, and we both competed in long-distance (25-50 mile) endurance races. We were inseparable from day one.
The day he proposed to me, we galloped our horses to a place called Machine Gun Hill and at the top, he got off his horse, then got down on one knee. Does it get any better than horses and romance?
His skills as a horseman quickly surpassed mine and he’s now a brilliant horse trainer. It’s been our lifelong dream to own a small farm of our own, and in 2019 we bought a piece of raw land and built the infrastructure from scratch.
We spent the first couple years living in a travel trailer, off-grid, as we installed electricity, water, and eventually a house—what started as two horses, has now grown to ten. We have Thoroughbreds, Arabians, Knabstruppers, Warmbloods, and a mini horse!
What are you working on now?
I’m working on a fantasy about a young woman who embarks on a dangerous voyage across the sea in search of a rumored utopia. It’s a swashbuckling adventure with high stakes, an impulsive heroine, and lots of romance.
Words of Wisdom for Aspiring Writers:
It took me seven books and over ten years to get my first book published. This industry is tough, you’ll hear a lot of no’s, but the only difference between a published author and an unpublished one is the writer who didn’t give up. Keep writing, keep learning, and don’t quit.
Author Pet Corner!
In addition to our small herd of horses, we have a feisty goat named Meredith, a goofy but protective Doberman Shepherd named Heath Ledger, and five cats!
Jackie Johnson — Author of Bladestay!
Jackie Johnson is a San Diego born poet and novelist.
With a background as a journalist, a BA in history, and an education in armed defense, Jackie has a uniquely authentic voice within the historical genre.
She’s been riding horses for over twenty years and has her own real-life cowboy love story when she fell in love with and married a horse trainer.
Together, they established a ranch in Southern California where she spends her days writing, riding, and chasing after their dreams, their two children, four horses, six cats, and two dogs. Bladestay is her first novel.
To learn more about Jackie, you can find her at the following links: Goodreads, Amazon, Instagram, Website.
Elena Taylor/Elena Hartwell
