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WORK TITLE: Learning to Breathe
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE: 12/29/1981
WEBSITE: http://www.janicelynnmather.com/
CITY: Vancouver,
STATE: BC
COUNTRY: Canada
NATIONALITY: Bahamian
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Born December 29, 1981.
EDUCATION:College of the Bahamas, A.A.; University of British Columbia, B.F.A., M.F.A.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer, journalist, poet, blogger.
WRITINGS
Contributor of stories to anthologies, including Pepperpot: Best New Anthologies from the Caribbean, We Have A Voice, and A Sudden and Violent Change. Contributor to journals, including Tongues of the Ocean, Chameleon, and Fugue.
SIDELIGHTS
Janice Lynn Mather is a Bahamian writer, journalist, conversationalist, and performance poet who enjoys all things natural and writes about her native Bahama and coming-of-age themes. Her short fiction has been published in anthologies and in journals, and her work has been shortlisted for the Commonwealth Short Story Prize. She holds an M.F.A. from the University of British Columbia. She lives in Vancouver, British Columbia.
In 2018, Mather published her debut novel, Learning to Breathe, which was shortlisted for the HarperCollins/UBC Prize for Best New Fiction in 2015. The story centers on sixteen-year-old Indira (Indy) Ferguson who is expected to follow in the footsteps of her addicted and promiscuous mother. To save her from this fate, she is sent to live with an aunt in Nassau where she is raped by her cousin. She becomes pregnant and fears that everyone’s expectations of her are coming true, even though she’s been a good girl. Afraid that her aunt will throw her out of the house if she learns Indy is pregnant, she finds refuge with kindly people at a yoga retreat who respect and help her. In a review in Booklist, Enishia Davenport compared the book to Ibi Zoboi’s American Street, adding that Mather presents a tragically real portrayal of prejudice and indifference many young girls face and “this challenging read confronts injustice and celebrates strength of character and spirit.”
In an interview with Jocelyn Rish online at Adventures in YA Publishing, Mather explained that her inspiration for writing the book came from hearing about fast girls in high school who were blamed for “looking for it.” Mather said she “became even more aware of how common various forms of abuse really are. Indy’s story was, to some extent, a way to make sense of something so common and yet so confusing. Even now, some years later, I struggle to make sense of how many people deal with situations like Indy’s.”
Calling the story a suspenseful and capable debut, a writer in Publishers Weekly commented: “Mather skillfully balances emotionally wrenching scenes and surprisingly humorous ones; well-drawn supporting characters.” Writing in Kirkus Reviews, a contributor remarked: “Through well-crafted dialogue, fresh characters, and solid pacing, the book’s mature themes are handled carefully and with sensitivity.” Desiree Thomas observed in School Library Journal: “Readers will agonize with Indira as she struggles to make the best decision for herself and her child.” Online at Shelf Awareness, Kyla Paterno said: “Mather’s debut, is a raw and unflinching look at coming of age while dealing with trauma and the expectations of others.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, April 15, 2018, Enishia Davenport, review of Learning to Breath, p. 50.
Kirkus Reviews, April 15, 2018, review of Learning to Breath.
Publishers Weekly, April 23, 2018, review of Learning to Breath, p. 90.
School Library Journal, April 2018, Desiree Thomas, review of Learning to Breath, p. 135.
ONLINE
Adventures in YA Publishing, http://www.adventuresinyapublishing.com/ (June 28, 2018), Jocelyn Rish, author interview.
Shelf Awareness, http://www.shelf-awareness.com/ (July 3, 2018), Kyla Paterno, review of Learning to Breath.
Janice Lynn Mather is a Bahamian writer with an MFA from the University of British Columbia. She has been a collector of interesting jobs: journalist, conversationalist, performance poet, and professional finger-wagger. Currently, she lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, where she hunches over her computer, grows vegetables, dabbles at the beach, reads in the sun, grumbles at the rain, and, most of all, writes.
JANICE LYNN MATHER has practiced yoga on beaches and under trees for the past sixteen years, and holds an MFA from the University of British Columbia. She was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Short Story Prize in 2012 and 2013. Her writing has appeared in anthologies Pepperpot: Best New Anthologies from the Caribbean; We Have A Voice and A Sudden And Violent Change, and in journals including Tongues Of The Ocean, Chameleon, and Fugue. She was shortlisted for the HarperCollins/UBC Prize for Best New Fiction in 2015 for this novel. You can learn more about her on her website: www.janicelynnmather.com.
First, I enjoy writing about myself in third person.
Additionally, Janice Lynn Mather is a writer and a Bahamian. She is also a vegan, an introvert, a book hog, a drifter off in meetings, an intermittent blogger, a yogi, a grower of food, a brewer of kombucha, a purveyor of all things natural, the owner of an afro, a honer for sunshine, a collector of essential oils and a glutton for the sea. She has an MFA and BFA from the University of British Columbia and an AA from the College of the Bahamas.
Thursday, June 28, 2018
0Janice Lynn Mather, author of LEARNING TO BREATHE, on working through hurt feelings
Posted by Jocelyn Rish at 6:00 AM
We're thrilled to have Janice Lynn Mather join us to share more about her debut novel, LEARNING TO BREATHE.
Janice, what was your inspiration for writing LEARNING TO BREATHE?
My experience growing up, and as a young woman, was quite different from that of my main character, Indy. In high school, I was very aware of the concept of girls who were “fast”, and there was a certain belief that if something sexual went on, a girl must have been “looking for it” somehow. When I reached my late teens, though, I started to become more aware of some of the struggles some girls—and boys—around me faced. I worked for a newspaper for a few years, and became even more aware of how common various forms of abuse really are. Indy’s story was, to some extent, a way to make sense of something so common and yet so confusing. Even now, some years later, I struggle to make sense of how many people deal with situations like Indy’s.
How long did you work on LEARNING TO BREATHE?
I wrote the very first draft of LEARNING TO BREATHE in 2004, in one of my first Creative Writing courses as an undergraduate. I’d mostly been writing short stories and poetry up until then, and I wanted to conquer a longer story. Over the next decade, I came back to the story again and again to revise and refine it. I started sending it out to agents and publishers in 2008. I finished the last revisions in the winter of 2017/2018. It’s definitely been an exercise in endurance.
What did this book teach you about writing or about yourself?
Other than endurance? Perseverance…how to work through hurt feelings… Seriously, I would say this book taught me about the necessity of devoting time to the parts of a writing career that are less inspirational, but that are vital in terms of success.
I can’t say I enjoyed sifting through pages of potential agents or editors and getting reams of form rejections—no one loves that. In the submission process, there was one particular agent I queried who requested the full manuscript, and provided me with some feedback that really annoyed me. But once I was done sulking and complaining to my friends and family, I actually realized she had some valid points. The revision I did based on that initially annoying feedback is, I think, what made the difference in getting doors opened for me to find representation with a different agent, and to ultimately find a publisher that I’m really excited to work with. So I’d say this book helped me in learning to step back from initially distasteful feedback to see whether there’s truth and validity in what is being said. That might be a life-long lesson, of course…
What advice would you most like to pass along to other writers?
Along with offering the usual dull, parental advice—be diligent, persevere, have discipline—I’d assure writers still looking for an agent or editor that our friends in the publishing industry are just people, too. I think there can be a lot of intimidation and fear when you know someone has the power to open doors for you—or not. That can be a real hurdle in sending your work out into the world. You want to be professional, respectful, and mindful of any guidelines an agent or editor has in terms of how you query them, but rest assured that they’re regular people, so don’t let fear get in your way.
What's your writing ritual like? Do you listen to music? Work at home or at a coffee shop or the library, etc?
My writing ritual is fairly unglamorous. I’d like to say that I immerse myself in inspiring natural surroundings, but in reality, the majority of my most focused work happens sitting cross-legged on the sofa with fairly poor posture, or on a generic second hand mismatched wooden chair that friends have told me is inhospitably uncomfortable. When I’m in dreamy, brainstorming mode, a little music can be nice, but when it’s time to get down to business, I prefer the quiet of a corner of our living room that’s near a sunny window, when no one else is at home. I do like to change atmospheres and sit outside when it’s summer, sometimes. For the most part, though, a few basic comforts (chair excluded) and an environment free of distractions is the perfect backdrop for me to immerse myself in the world of my characters, rather than the world around me.
What are you working on now?
Right now I’m working on my second teen novel, Facing The Sun, which comes out with Simon & Schuster in 2019.
Learning to Breathe
Publishers Weekly. 265.17 (Apr. 23, 2018): p90.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Learning to Breathe
Janice Lynn Mather. Simon & Schuster, $18.99 (336p) ISBN 978-1-5344-0601-8
Set on Nassau Island in the Bahamas, this suspenseful coming-of-age story follows an intrepid protagonist who, after being raped by her live-in cousin, strives to overcome hopelessness and fear in order to make crucial decisions about her pregnancy and future. Indy's nickname is Doubles, in reference both to her chest size and the assumption that she will inevitably become a drunken, promiscuous, irresponsible woman like her mother. Indy's achingly clear-sighted internal narrative is often witty: "My life can't even be held in place with duct tape. The tape that holds anything," she says when her bra breaks. And it offers a striking contrast to the minimalist, cautious speech she uses with others. Trapped between self-blame and a sense of futility ("I already know what people would say; in their eyes, if Gary messed with me, it's all my fault"), Indy stumbles on a yoga retreat center and discovers both allies and kindred souls who accept her and empower her to make choices about her body and find her voice. Mather skillfully balances emotionally wrenching scenes and surprisingly humorous ones; well-drawn supporting characters, including a fiery, self-educated grandmother and an endearingly gallant friend, Churchy, enrich this capable debut. Ages 14-up. Agent: Rachel Letofsky, CookeMcDermid Agency. (June)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Learning to Breathe." Publishers Weekly, 23 Apr. 2018, p. 90. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A536532986/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=697d7baf. Accessed 9 June 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A536532986
Learning to Breathe
Enishia Davenport
Booklist. 114.16 (Apr. 15, 2018): p50.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
Full Text:
Learning to Breathe.
By Janice Lynn Mather.
June 2018. 336p. Simon & Schuster, $18.99 (9781534406018). Gr. 9-12.
Mather's heartbreaking debut revolves around a teen girl learning to love herself and life, in spite of what others assume about her. Sixteen-year-old Indira Ferguson has always lived with the stigma of her mother's shortcomings and promiscuity. People have never been able to view her as an individual separate from her mother, despite the fact that she's always been a good, rule-abiding girl. When she is sent to live with her aunt in the Bahamian city of Nassau, the reputation she's saddled with follows her, and Aunt Patrice immediately writes her off as troubled. While there, Indira is raped and ends up pregnant, but she hides her pregnancy for fear of being thrown out on the streets. Mather paints a tragically real picture of the struggles too many girls are forced to endure, conferring a universal quality to Indira's pain and experience--struggles exacerbated by a society that vilifies women and girls while too often ignoring their abuse. Much like Ibi Zoboi's American Street (2017), this challenging read confronts injustice and celebrates strength of character and spirit. --Enishia Davenport
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Davenport, Enishia. "Learning to Breathe." Booklist, 15 Apr. 2018, p. 50. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A537268165/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=08f00def. Accessed 9 June 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A537268165
Mather, Janice Lynn: LEARNING TO BREATHE
Kirkus Reviews. (Apr. 15, 2018):
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Mather, Janice Lynn LEARNING TO BREATHE Simon & Schuster (Young Adult Fiction) $18.99 6, 26 ISBN: 978-1-5344-0601-8
Sent away to live with relatives to escape her mother's wild lifestyle, Indira's new home is anything but a sanctuary
Indy is a black Bahamian girl who can't escape her mother Sharice's unsavory shadow. In their Bahamian community of Mariner's Cay, Sharice has a reputation for being promiscuous--and Indy's nickname, "Doubles," comes from how much she physically resembles her mom. Worse, everyone assumes that she acts like Sharice too. When she goes to live with her aunt, uncle, and cousin in Nassau, presumably for a better life than her mother can give her, the nickname and the assumptions follow. Even her loving Grammy seems to think Indy will end up in trouble. Sure enough, trouble comes, but it's not of Indy's choosing. One day, she stumbles upon a yoga retreat center, setting off a chain of events that will expose family secrets and force her to make the toughest decisions of her life. Indy is vulnerable, yet determined, as she faces a shameful past and navigates an uncertain future with the help of new friends. Told in Indy's voice, this heart-wrenching story unfolds with intermittent flashbacks, including scenes of sexual harassment and violence. Through well-crafted dialogue, fresh characters, and solid pacing, the book's mature themes are handled carefully and with sensitivity.
A powerful, poignant story about refusing to let the past dictate who you are or who you will become. (Fiction. 14-18)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Mather, Janice Lynn: LEARNING TO BREATHE." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Apr. 2018. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A534375026/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=c36a017c. Accessed 9 June 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A534375026
MATHER, Janice Lynn. Learning To Breathe
Desiree Thomas
School Library Journal. 64.4 (Apr. 2018): p135+.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 Library Journals, LLC. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
Full Text:
* MATHER, Janice Lynn. Learning To Breathe. 336p. S. & S. Jun. 2018. Tr $18.99. ISBN 9781534406018.
Gr 9 Up--The tale of a teen struggling to define her own boundaries. All of her life Indira has been compared to her mother Shariece, a drug addict who had multiple sexual partners. The people in Indy's small village in the Bahamas have always thought she would follow in her mother's footsteps and gave her the nickname Doubles. The fierce love of her Grammy stabilizes a life littered with her mother's poor choices. Her grandmother sees trouble ahead and tries to protect Indy by sending her to Nassau to live with her uncle's family. Before she leaves, Indy receives a bag and book from her grandmother with instructions to not open the present before it's time. She tries to seize this opportunity to create a new identity for herself but is hindered by a boy from home, and the unwanted attention of a male relative who reminds her of her mother's past. A chance meeting at a yoga retreat points Indira in a new direction. This is a well-written, thought-provoking book that tackles difficult topics such as unwanted pregnancy, familial relationships, and rape, with nuance. The language and depiction of the practice of yoga is lyrical and beautiful. Readers will agonize with Indira as she struggles to make the best decision for herself and her child. VERDICT A stirring debut for all YA collections.--Desiree Thomas, Worthington Library, OH
KEY: * Excellent in relation to other titles on the same subject or in the same genre | Tr Hardcover trade binding | lib. ed. Publisher's library binding | Board Board book | pap. Paperback | e eBook original | BL Bilingual | POP Popular Picks
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Thomas, Desiree. "MATHER, Janice Lynn. Learning To Breathe." School Library Journal, Apr. 2018, p. 135+. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A533409098/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=bdb182b2. Accessed 9 June 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A533409098
People call Indira "Doubles," insisting she's the double of her mother, a woman who "smells rotten" and who always has a new boyfriend. "I'm her Double," Indy thinks, fearing that she will, in fact, be "[t]he thing, the person, everyone expects [her] to become." Indy, who has always lived at her Grammy's small house in Mariner's Cay, is sent to Nassau Harbour to live with her Aunt Patrice to finish high school. Shortly after her arrival, Aunt Patrice's son, Gary, begins sneaking into the living room where she sleeps to rape her. Her heartbreaking abuse is even more devastating in light of her fear; Indy doesn't dare come forward about the rapes for fear of proving to others that she is her mother's double. When Indy realizes she's pregnant, there's only one place she can go for advice: a book Grammy gave her when she left. But it seems even Grammy believes Indy is her mother's double: "There's no picture on the cover, only its title: The Pregnancy Book." Indy can't hide this pregnancy forever, but if Grammy didn't even believe in her, how could anyone else?
Learning to Breathe, Janice Lynn Mather's debut, is a raw and unflinching look at coming of age while dealing with trauma and the expectations of others. Mather's delicate handling of the abuse is purposeful, and there are multiple emotionally painful scenes that some readers will find challenging. Intermittent scenes of Indy learning various yoga poses and becoming increasingly balanced, both physically and metaphorically, are hopeful, rounding out a story that is emotionally charged, thought provoking and unforgettable. --Kyla Paterno, former YA and children's book buyer
Discover: After being raped, a teenage girl struggles to conceal an unwanted pregnancy.