Interview + Giveaway | Devoted by Jennifer Mathieu

It was easier to write Rachel’s character in the first half of the story where she is more immersed in Quiverfull culture. Her sense of isolation, of longing for something more, were easier for me to tap into.  Oddly, I had a harder time with Rachel once she was more connected with “worldly culture” because I found myself wanting to make her a modern, everyday teenager a little *too* fast.  My editor kept holding me back and reminding me of how foreign the outside world would seem to Rachel.  

What I love the most about Rachel is her curiosity.  I love that she doesn’t let that part of her disappear even though she is living in such a repressive environment. I love that she’s a reader, that she somehow intuitively knows there’s nothing wrong with reading a book like A Wrinkle in Time, and that she asks herself the hard questions.  She continues to ask the tough questions even when she’s living with Lauren and even when she knows it might make Lauren upset.  She is fiercely committed to living an authentic life, and I love that about her.

Devoted was a tough book to write.  I actually tossed out the first draft completely for many reasons.  The book originally opened with Rachel discovering that her mother was pregnant again, but after working with my editor, I wanted to start with a scene where there was more tension up front – where it was clear to the reader that Rachel comes from a world very different from the worlds of most teenagers.  The image of James Fulton in front of the congregation asking for forgiveness and almost, really, being publicly humiliated popped into my head. And the first sentence flowed from there.  It’s an old Southern saying – to be sweating like a sinner in church – and I love that James is embodying that statement literally.

Well, I really like when readers decide what the main message or theme is for themselves, but I think if I were going to choose I would say to not be afraid to ask the Big Questions.  Even if they’re not about religion. I think it’s so important that all of us try to honor that voice inside of us – what makes us happy?  What are our talents? What do we value?  What do we want out of this one, precious life (to quote from the Mary Oliver poem that is featured in the book!).  Rachel does an admirable job of asking these Big Questions in a very tough situation, and I would love it if her story encouraged readers to do the same.

At first, I felt like it sounded too much like a book report about Quiverfull culture. I didn’t know Rachel’s character enough, which was weird for me because character is usually what comes most easily for me.  I realized as I was redrafting the book that I had to tap into exactly who Rachel was.  I did a bunch of character exercises – like wondering what Rachel kept in her nightstand drawer or making a list of her favorite sounds and smells.  As I did this, I got more in touch with her character and the book started to take shape.

My favorite part was actually the research.  I loved getting to know several young women who were raised in the Quiverfull movement much like Rachel was.  I developed a good friendship with one young woman (to whom I dedicated Devoted), and it was so validating to hear from them after the book came out.  To hear that I had honored their stories and done their stories justice without being exploitative.

This is weird, but I love to write in the dark!  I sit at the dining room table in my house in pitch dark (I usually write at night) and for some reason this helps my productivity. Another quirk is that I rarely write to music, but once in a while I will find a song that fits the mood of a certain scene, and I will play it on repeat over and over until the scene is over.