Today we are excited to bring you an interview with Jenna Tico, author of Cancer Moon: How I Survived the Best Years of My Life. Published through She Writes Press, fans of creative nonfiction will love this book with its humorous observations and insights as well as the reflective passages that resonate with that little voice inside our heads that says "But what if I had done this instead?" Jenna took the time out of her busy promotion schedule to answer a few questions about her writing and editing process, her path to publication, and other essayists who have inspired her own work.
You can find the book at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
Jenna Tico survived the best years of her life by incessantly journaling, scribbling poetry, and distracting herself from her questionable choices with potato chips and excellent friendships. Now in her mid-thirties, she is a community-builder, performing artist, wife, mother, writer, and group facilitator. Jenna lives with her family in Santa Barbara, CA. Learn more at www.jennatico.com.
----------Interview by Renee Roberson
WOW: Your book, Cancer Moon, is a collection of essays, flash prose, and poetry. What led you to explore writing creative nonfiction?
Jenna: I’ve always been drawn to creative nonfiction, both as a writer and as a reader. It’s never felt cut-and-dry to me, because I find others’ lives to be endlessly fascinating. Even though I believe it is never fully possible to remove ourselves from our art, even for fiction writers, something about fully owning it and saying “this is me–take it or leave it” has always appealed to me. Partially because I felt a lot of the content in the 2000’s (aka my coming-of-age era) was so glossy, but also because I’ve never been great at hiding my truth, or how I feel. Ever since I was a child, I’ve worn my experiences (and my moods) pretty openly, for better or for worse. It just felt natural to me to translate that through writing.
WOW: Are there any CNF authors you'd recommend other writers explore if they would like to learn more about the art form?
Jenna: I love the work of Jessi Klein, whose work came across my desk as I was working on compiling my own book—and gave me so much encouragement in claiming my voice and story. She feels like a literary soulmate. I also adore Samantha Irby—talk about laugh-out-loud—and David Sedaris, particularly his early work. Cheryl Strayed, of course. Anne Lamott. And some of my biggest CNF heroes would probably never align themselves with the genre—Miranda July and Sheila Heti, for example—but their bravery in writing has inspired me to tell my own story and be bold with the format.
WOW: Thanks for all these great recommendations! The pieces in Cancer Moon are organized underneath the various cycles of the moon. What made you decide to use that particular structure for the narrative?
Jenna: Cancer Moon spans the decade of my twenties, which was a period of growth, change, trial-and-error, and expansion that was many things… but rarely, if ever, a straight line. Feelings or experiences got bigger, yes, but then they shrank again. If I felt light, darkness was always around the corner, and vice versa. Looking back on my twenties, I felt resentful of society’s expectation of linear progression. So, knowing that I wanted the title to play upon my natal moon placement, the sign of Cancer, one day it just clicked: I could base the structure of the book on the cycles of the moon… with, as I say in the intro, the “the only constant being change, and the amount of light visible.”
WOW: You utilized the use of footnotes as humorous anecdotes throughout this collection. Those made me laugh out loud more than once. What led you to this creative choice?
Jenna: I’m glad to hear it! Most times, those asides were for my own sanity; to be able to take a pause in the middle of a moment and be like, “can you believe this?” or to clarify a point that didn’t need to be embedded in the narrative. Also, because some of the pieces were written in my early twenties—and I deliberately decided to leave them intact—I used the footnote to reflect from the perspective of my older, wiser self. To poke fun at the blind spots or judgments I had at the time, but grew out of. For example, in "Cabo is the New Cabo," I describe the experience of being exposed to a crew of new mothers on a wild bachelorette weekend, shocked by their level of debauchery. The addition of a later footnote—after becoming a parent myself—allowed me to laugh at the naivete I had at that party, with more empathy for what those women may have been experiencing, going through, and needing to revisit.
"It was important for me to feel I was in integrity. I tried to lead with
accountability for my own part in things, and to really say: 'I don’t
blame you for anything, and I am grateful for what I learned during our
time together. I wouldn’t change it.'"
WOW: Writing creative nonfiction can be tricky when you're writing about people in your life that are still alive. Were there any pieces you considered not including in the final draft of the book and if so, why?
Jenna: Yes, one thousand percent. As a recovering people-pleaser, a lot of the initial hesitation I had came from not wanting people to be mad at me—particularly family, or those whose identities would not be changed. I also felt afraid to include the pieces about my abusive relationships because, in many ways, I am still unraveling and recovering from the shame and fear that built up during those eras of my life. In that way, choosing to include them was excellent medicine, and reminded me of the WHY behind this project—why telling our stories in our own words is always a therapeutic opportunity. What helped me most was to write the stories down, without imagining anyone ever reading them, and then going back and titrating/adjusting where necessary. I also made an effort to reach out to the four people who I thought would be most affected by the book, with varied results. Regardless, it was important for me to feel I was in integrity. I tried to lead with accountability for my own part in things, and to really say: “I don’t blame you for anything, and I am grateful for what I learned during our time together. I wouldn’t change it.”
WOW: I love that. I've also come to realize my own accountability in things I did or said when I was younger and that has resulted in a shift in my perspective sometimes when writing CNF. In an interview you did with the Santa Barbara Independent, you shared that you worked with a book coach to help organize the pieces you included in Cancer Moon. What led you to that decision and would you recommend it for other writers?
Jenna: The experience of working with a book coach came somewhat magically. I had never even heard of it as an option, let alone sought one out. I approached the wonderful Rachael Quisel, an accomplished novelist and copyeditor, for some assistance in editing a few of my essays—I was curious if there was a through line, or if I could workshop any to be ready for a collection—and she was the one who connected me with Yvette Keller, who at that time was just beginning to dip her toes into the world of book coaching. I was her beta client; and the process of bouncing ideas off her, sending material, and following her prompts to stay accountable was by far one of the most helpful things I encountered in this journey. I got lucky with Yvette, because she really saw the heart and soul of my piece, and found her OWN professional value in helping me. I’d recommend it for anyone who knows they want to create a specific piece, but need help identifying a clear path to get it out.
WOW: You published Cancer Moon through She Writes Press, which is a hybrid publisher. What would you say are the benefits of publishing through this type of model?
Jenna: For me as a first time author, the hybrid model felt like the best of both worlds: traditional distribution and professionalism, with more mentorship and choice built in. She Writes Press gave me a strong YES, a vote of confidence, when I needed it—and allowed me a lot of agency in my process, which was a corrective experience. Their initial feedback on my submission was thorough, thoughtful, and heartwarming—I instantly felt that they GOT it, and were willing to take a chance on a multi-genre piece, which is rare. I began to frame the whole thing as a 2.5-year mentorship program in an industry I knew nothing about (but wanted to join), and that made it feel so worthwhile to invest in. I’ve also appreciated the element of working within a cohort of other authors, where we are encouraged and given tools to UPLIFT one another on our journeys, rather than compete. I’ve gained so much from bouncing off the other women in my group, and taking in their wisdom on everything from publicity to managing emotions.
"I love everything about live storytelling, especially when participants
are telling personal tales in their own words. There’s a layer of
vulnerability there, where the healing and transformation are
proportional to the risk taken."
WOW: That's a great way to look at it! Not only an investment in yourself, but as a mentorship program in publishing. I'm sure She Writes Press would agree with you! In addition to being a writer, you are also a storyteller. Could you tell us more about Backbone Storytelling and what you enjoy about it?
Jenna: I love everything about live storytelling, especially when participants are telling personal tales in their own words. There’s a layer of vulnerability there, where the healing and transformation are proportional to the risk taken. As a group mentor who spent many years facilitating social-emotional education in public schools, I consider myself a student of how to create spaces that not only feel safe, but BRAVE. As a performing artist, I love watching people use their bodies and voices to translate the experiences that have happened IN our bodies—which is part of the reason that Backbone is always themed around the body. That, and the fact that no matter our differences, we all have a body. Sometimes I find I can hide more easily when I’m writing, because of the separation between the action and the reaction of a reader—but in storytelling, you don’t have that kind of buffer. So leaning into that art form, and learning from others in the space, has made me a bolder writer… and definitely a more compassionate, curious person. I figure if it has that effect on me, what could it possibly do for others who feel at odds/ different from those around them?
WOW: If you could go back and talk to a 23-year-old Jenna now, what would you tell her?
Jenna: Oh goodness. First of all, you look beautiful, and it’s totally fine if you wear that shirt every day. Don’t stress. The best people in your life, your REAL people, will stick around no matter what—you don’t have to force it. Having a singular career path or artistic medium is overrated. If he doesn’t text you back, it says something about where he is at, not your worth—leave your phone in the car, go in the ocean, and change out of your bathing suit afterward. (Nothing good ever came of sitting in a damp bathing suit.) You WILL meet the love of your life. And then you will also struggle, because no relationship will ever be perfect. It’s okay. You WILL meet your children, and it will be better than you can ever imagine. You won’t always feel so chaotic. Chocolate pudding is not a food group, but enjoy THAT while it lasts. You’re going to be okay. Also, if you’re tired… go home. There will be other opportunities to stay up. Go home.
WOW: Jenna, thanks again for stopping by and best of luck with your book promotion for Cancer Moon: How I Survived the Best Years of My Life.
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