About the Author: Jen St. Jude
What would you like readers to know about you?
I grew up in New Hampshire but live in Chicago now with my wife, daughter, and dog. I'm queer. Outside of reading and writing, I'm a big women's sports fan; we have season tickets for The Chicago Sky and Red Stars. I like to think I'm approachable, so if any writers are looking for advice my inbox is open :)
What music do you listen to (if any) when you write?
I am meticulous with my playlists. They are very carefully curated and always inspire me to stay in a certain emotion and really feel the book. For If Tomorrow Doesn't Come, there's a lot of music by The Aces, MUNA, Taylor Swift, and Joy Oladokun.
What books or authors inspired you to become a writer?Â
The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily Danforth, We Are Okay by Nina LaCour, Her Name in the Sky by Kelly Quindlen, and More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera had a big influence on my early writing. Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel was also a big inspiration.
About the Book: If Tomorrow Doesn't Come
What is your book about for those who haven’t read it?
Avery Byrne has secrets. She's queer; she's in love with her best friend, Cass; and she's suffering from undiagnosed clinical depression. But on the morning Avery plans to jump into the river near her college campus, the world discovers there are only nine days left to live: an asteroid is headed for Earth, and no one can stop it.
Trying to spare her family and Cass additional pain, Avery does her best to make it through just nine more days. As time runs out and secrets slowly come to light, Avery would do anything to save the ones she loves. But most importantly, she learns to save herself. Speak her truth. Seek the support she needs. Find hope again in the tomorrows she has left.
If Tomorrow Doesn't Come is a celebration of queer love, a gripping speculative narrative, and an urgent, conversation-starting book about depression, mental health, and shame.
What has been your inspiration for writing it?
There's still such a stigma around mental health--most of us suffer alone because it feels too shameful to open up, admit our darkness, and get help. Depression, too, convinces us that our lives aren't worth living, and that our pain is our fault. I wanted to meet readers where they are, take their hand, and hopefully lead them away from that mental cave. I wanted to share some of my (and Avery's) thoughts and feelings in the hopes that if anyone else is going through the same things, they won't feel as alone.
What was your favorite scene or part of your book to write?
I love all of the flashbacks where you see Avery and Cass as friends, and feel the weight of Avery's longing for her even when she didn't have the words for it. Unrequited love, or that space of pining, is so painful and so beautiful too. It's about having so much love for a person without any expectations of it being returned. The ache of it all.
Where can your book be purchased?
As of May 9th, anywhere books are sold :). I always like to shout out the indie bookstores that are hosting my launch events, Women & Children First here in Chicago and The Bookery in Manchester, NH. Booksellers are sincerely the real MVPSs.
To the Future Writer:
What advice would you give to aspiring authors who want to write a book?
You're going to have to spend a lot of time in this book, so make sure it's filled with things you love! I like to make a list of settings, situations, and character traits I love. What do I admire in people? When I'm stuck and don't know where to go next, I go to that list. What if they go to a Halloween park? The beach? A lake? It's fun to use writing to get nostalgic or visit places I've never been. I try to create characters I'd want to hang out with, even if they're not perfect.
What’s next for you? Any events, upcoming pubs, etc.
I have a few events coming up! I'll be at Women & Children First in Chicago on May 10th and The Bookery in Manchester on May 20th. Over the summer you can find me at: YA Midwest, ALA, and the San Diego Festival of Books. I'm also working on my second book which is scheduled to be published in 2025 from Bloomsbury and is about a hot-headed soccer player, climate change, and the fragile but enduring nature of friendship.
Where can we find you:
Twitter- jenstjude
Instagram- jenstjude
Website- jenstjude.com
What’s on your TBR list?
I'm currently reading Alex Crespo's San Juniper's Folly and Jenna Voris's Made of Stars, and am looking forward to If I Have to be Haunted by Miranda Sun, World Running Down by Al Hess, All the Dead Lie Down by Kyrie McCauley, The Luis Ortega Survival Club by Sonora Reyes, and When It All Syncs Up by Maya Ameyaw.