Jessica Johns
{{Short description|Cree writer from Canada}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=April 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox writer
| name = Jessica Johns
| language = English
| education = {{plainlist|
| notable_works = Bad Cree
| website = {{URL|https://jessicasbjohns.com/}}
}}
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.{{Cite news |last=Bell |first=Justin |date=2023-04-18 |title=Bookmarks: A dream world from local Cree author Jessica Johns |url=https://edmontonjournal.com/entertainment/local-arts/bookmarks-a-dream-world-from-local-cree-author-jessica-johns |access-date=2024-02-26 |work=Edmonton Journal |archive-date=April 21, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230421165555/https://edmontonjournal.com/entertainment/local-arts/bookmarks-a-dream-world-from-local-cree-author-jessica-johns |url-status=live }} She grew up on her traditional territory in Treaty 8. She lived in Adelaide, Australia from ages 14 to 16.{{Cite web |last=Haynes |first=Nalini |date=2023-02-06 |title=Jessica Johns on being Cree, Queer, and representation |url=https://www.darkmatterzine.com/jessica-johns/ |access-date=2024-02-26 |website=Dark Matter Zine |language=en-US |archive-date=February 26, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240226162755/https://www.darkmatterzine.com/jessica-johns/ |url-status=live }} Johns majored in English at Grant MacEwan University and has an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of British Columbia.{{Cite web |last=Cyca |first=Michelle |date=2023-01-05 |title=In her debut novel Bad Cree, Jessica Johns has dreamed up a horror story anchored by a Cree matriarchy |url=https://quillandquire.com/authors/in-her-debut-novel-bad-cree-jessica-johns-has-dreamed-up-a-horror-story-anchored-by-a-cree-matriarchy/ |access-date=2024-02-26 |website=Quill and Quire |language=en |archive-date=June 12, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230612190142/https://quillandquire.com/authors/in-her-debut-novel-bad-cree-jessica-johns-has-dreamed-up-a-horror-story-anchored-by-a-cree-matriarchy/ |url-status=live }}
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.Michelle Cyca, [https://quillandquire.com/authors/in-her-debut-novel-bad-cree-jessica-johns-has-dreamed-up-a-horror-story-anchored-by-a-cree-matriarchy/ "In her debut novel Bad Cree, Jessica Johns has dreamed up a horror story anchored by a Cree matriarchy"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230612190142/https://quillandquire.com/authors/in-her-debut-novel-bad-cree-jessica-johns-has-dreamed-up-a-horror-story-anchored-by-a-cree-matriarchy/ |date=June 12, 2023 }}. Quill & Quire, January 2023. It was expanded from her earlier short story of the same name, which won the Journey Prize in 2020.{{Cite web |title=4 emerging Canadian writers receive $10K prizes from Writers' Trust of Canada |url=https://www.cbc.ca/books/4-emerging-canadian-writers-receive-10k-prizes-from-writers-trust-of-canada-1.5770790 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230221211748/https://www.cbc.ca/books/4-emerging-canadian-writers-receive-10k-prizes-from-writers-trust-of-canada-1.5770790 |archive-date=2023-02-21 |access-date=2024-04-25 |website=CBC Books}}
Bad Cree was published in 2023 by HarperCollins Canada.Justin Bell, [https://edmontonjournal.com/entertainment/local-arts/bookmarks-a-dream-world-from-local-cree-author-jessica-johns "Bookmarks: A dream world from local Cree author Jessica Johns"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230421165555/https://edmontonjournal.com/entertainment/local-arts/bookmarks-a-dream-world-from-local-cree-author-jessica-johns |date=April 21, 2023 }}. Edmonton Journal, April 18, 2023. The novel was a shortlisted finalist for the 2023 Amazon.ca First Novel Award.{{Cite web |last=Drudi |first=Cassandra |date=2023-05-04 |title=Billy-Ray Belcourt, Jessica Johns among 2023 Amazon Canada First Novel finalists |url=https://quillandquire.com/omni/billy-ray-belcourt-jessica-johns-among-2023-amazon-canada-first-novel-finalists/ |access-date=2024-04-25 |website=Quill and Quire |language=en |archive-date=May 20, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230520031855/https://quillandquire.com/omni/billy-ray-belcourt-jessica-johns-among-2023-amazon-canada-first-novel-finalists/ |url-status=live }} Bad Cree was selected for the 2024 edition of Canada Reads, where it was defended by Dallas Soonias.{{Cite web |date=2024-03-01 |title=Meet the Canada Reads 2024 contenders |url=https://www.cbc.ca/books/meet-the-canada-reads-2024-contenders-1.7073689 |access-date=2024-04-25 |website=CBC |archive-date=January 18, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240118092323/https://www.cbc.ca/books/meet-the-canada-reads-2024-contenders-1.7073689 |url-status=live }}{{Cite news |date=2023-01-11 |title=Jessica Johns's novel Bad Cree is a story about grief, guilt and healing — read an excerpt now |url=https://www.cbc.ca/books/jessica-johns-s-novel-bad-cree-is-a-story-about-grief-guilt-and-healing-read-an-excerpt-now-1.6707897 |access-date=2024-04-25 |work=CBC |archive-date=February 19, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240219202224/https://www.cbc.ca/books/jessica-johns-s-novel-bad-cree-is-a-story-about-grief-guilt-and-healing-read-an-excerpt-now-1.6707897 |url-status=live }}
Awards and honours
Personal life
Publications
- {{Cite book |title=How Not to Spill |date=2018 |publisher=Rahila's Ghost Press |isbn=9781775116776}}
- {{Cite book |title=Best Canadian Essays 2019 |publisher=Biblioasis |editor-last=Donaldson |editor-first=Emily |chapter=The Bull of Cromdale}}
- {{Cite book |title=The Journey Prize Stories 32: The Best of Canada's New Writers |date=2020 |publisher=McClelland & Stewart |isbn=9780771050992 |editor-last=Jones |editor-first=Amy |pages=67–78 |chapter=Bad Cree |editor-last2=Lau |editor-first2=Doretta |editor-last3=Mutonji |editor-first3=Téa}}
- {{Cite book |title=After Realism: 24 Stories for the 21st Century |date=2022 |publisher=Vehicule Press |isbn=9781550655964 |editor-last=Forget |editor-first=André |chapter=Good Bones}}
- {{Cite book |title=Bad Cree |date=2023 |publisher=Doubleday |isbn=9780385548694}}
References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Johns, Jessica}}
Category:21st-century Canadian novelists
Category:21st-century Canadian short story writers
Category:21st-century Canadian women writers
Category:21st-century First Nations writers
Category:First Nations novelists
Category:First Nations women writers
Category:University of British Columbia alumni
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)