Patricia Jackson
Patricia A. Jackson is a 29-year veteran in education. She spent the first half of her career as an administrator and teacher in the School District of the City of York. The latter half has been teaching World Literature and Creative Writing at Central York High School. A fierce LGBTQIA+ advocate, Ms. Jackson facilitates The Beautiful People, a student-run club that creates safe spaces for teens within the school community. When the school board voted to ban hundreds of books based on race and sexual orientation, she joined the Panther Anti-Racist Union as co-advisor to assist the successful fight to overturn that ruling. Her fantasy novel Forging a Nightmare debuted in November, 2021 from Angry Robot Books, UK.
Interview
What was your favorite book when you were a child?
Mark of the Horse Lord by Rosemary Sutliff
What’s your favorite line from a book?
“We must be still and still moving.”— The Four Quartets, T.S. Eliot
Who are your top three favorite authors or illustrators?
Kristin Britain, Susan Dexter, Nancy Springer
Why did you want to become an author or illustrator?
I wanted to live adventures outside of my limited reality, where I could be the sword-wielding, swift-riding hero.
Do you have any advice for future authors or illustrators?
Practice your writing daily via daydreaming, journaling, lists, or outlines. If you want to own your craft, you have to hone your craft.