Jessica Johns
Cree writer from Canada
- MacEwan University
- University of British Columbia
Jessica Johns is a Cree writer from Canada, whose debut novel Bad Cree was published in 2023.
Early life and education
Johns is a member of the Sucker Creek First Nation in northern Alberta.[1] She grew up on her traditional territory in Treaty 8. She lived in Adelaide, Australia from ages 14 to 16.[2] Johns majored in English at Grant MacEwan University and has an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of British Columbia.[3]
Career
While she was an MFA student, a creative writing teacher told John's class to never write about dreams. Johns wrote Bad Cree in part as a response to this, advice which Johns disagreed with due to the importance of dreams in Cree culture.[4] It was expanded from her earlier short story of the same name, which won the Journey Prize in 2020.[5]
Bad Cree was published in 2023 by HarperCollins Canada.[6] The novel was a shortlisted finalist for the 2023 Amazon.ca First Novel Award.[7] Bad Cree was selected for the 2024 edition of Canada Reads, where it was defended by Dallas Soonias.[8][9]
Awards and honours
| Year | Title | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | How Not to Spill | bpNichol Chapbook Award | ||
| 2020 | "Bad Cree" | Journey Prize | Winner | [5] |
| 2023 | Bad Cree | Amazon.ca First Novel Award | Shortlist | [7] |
| 2024 | ALA Alex Award | Winner | [10] | |
| Audie Award for Thriller/Suspense | Finalist | [11] | ||
| CBC Canada Reads | Nominee | [8][12] | ||
| Georges Bugnet Award for Fiction | Shortlist | [13] |
Personal life
Johns divides her time between Edmonton and Vancouver and has a cat named Alfredo.[3]
Publications
- How Not to Spill. Rahila's Ghost Press. 2018. ISBN 9781775116776.
- Donaldson, Emily (ed.). "The Bull of Cromdale". Best Canadian Essays 2019. Biblioasis.
- Jones, Amy; Lau, Doretta; Mutonji, Téa, eds. (2020). "Bad Cree". The Journey Prize Stories 32: The Best of Canada's New Writers. McClelland & Stewart. pp. 67–78. ISBN 9780771050992.
- Forget, André, ed. (2022). "Good Bones". After Realism: 24 Stories for the 21st Century. Vehicule Press. ISBN 9781550655964.
- Bad Cree. Doubleday. 2023. ISBN 9780385548694.
References
- ^ Bell, Justin (April 18, 2023). "Bookmarks: A dream world from local Cree author Jessica Johns". Edmonton Journal. Archived from the original on April 21, 2023. Retrieved February 26, 2024.
- ^ Haynes, Nalini (February 6, 2023). "Jessica Johns on being Cree, Queer, and representation". Dark Matter Zine. Archived from the original on February 26, 2024. Retrieved February 26, 2024.
- ^ a b Cyca, Michelle (January 5, 2023). "In her debut novel Bad Cree, Jessica Johns has dreamed up a horror story anchored by a Cree matriarchy". Quill and Quire. Archived from the original on June 12, 2023. Retrieved February 26, 2024.
- ^ Michelle Cyca, "In her debut novel Bad Cree, Jessica Johns has dreamed up a horror story anchored by a Cree matriarchy" Archived June 12, 2023, at the Wayback Machine. Quill & Quire, January 2023.
- ^ a b "4 emerging Canadian writers receive $10K prizes from Writers' Trust of Canada". CBC Books. Archived from the original on February 21, 2023. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
- ^ Justin Bell, "Bookmarks: A dream world from local Cree author Jessica Johns" Archived April 21, 2023, at the Wayback Machine. Edmonton Journal, April 18, 2023.
- ^ a b Drudi, Cassandra (May 4, 2023). "Billy-Ray Belcourt, Jessica Johns among 2023 Amazon Canada First Novel finalists". Quill and Quire. Archived from the original on May 20, 2023. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
- ^ a b "Meet the Canada Reads 2024 contenders". CBC. March 1, 2024. Archived from the original on January 18, 2024. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
- ^ "Jessica Johns's novel Bad Cree is a story about grief, guilt and healing — read an excerpt now". CBC. January 11, 2023. Archived from the original on February 19, 2024. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
- ^ "YALSA announces 2023 Alex Awards". News and Press Center. ALA American Library Association. January 22, 2024. Archived from the original on February 5, 2024. Retrieved January 22, 2024.
- ^ "2024 Audie Award Winners". Audio Publishers Association. Archived from the original on March 8, 2024. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
- ^ "Dallas Soonias is bringing his A-game to Canada Reads for Jessica John's Bad Cree". CBC. February 26, 2024. Archived from the original on March 21, 2024. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
- ^ "2024 Alberta Literary Awards shortlists". Quill and Quire. April 25, 2024. Archived from the original on April 25, 2024. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
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