Jessica Shay
Books have always been so meaningful in my life. When I was little, I would organize my bookshelves and pretend that I was running a bookstore or library. I would help my stuffed animals and dolls pick out their selections. Books let me escape when the world was difficult and confusing. They gave me friends when painful shyness made it challenging to play with other children. Books gave me ways to connect with a grandmother who lived far away, but loved to read as well. They inspired, entertained, and challenged me. I knew in my heart of hearts that I wanted to spend my life around books and playing with words.
When I first struck out on my own as a young adult in the Catskills of New York, I thought journalism would be a dream job despite a teacher’s wise warning that I did not have the temperament for the career. She was right, but I needed to learn that for myself. I enjoyed interviewing people and loved writing feature stories, but absolutely hated other aspects of the work. A local book publisher hired me as a part time assistant. It opened my eyes to other possibilities. At the time, however, I was focused on finding work in Maine where my mother lived. I didn’t want to move downstate to New York City or elsewhere to try and pursue a career in magazine writing or publishing.
My career and personal life took many twists and turns over the years. I ended up in an administrative role at a major teaching hospital in Boston after giving up on journalism. One of my colleagues introduced me to my husband. The focus of my life shifted again.
One of the last stories I did as a reporter was on a massage therapy school in Maine. I could have stayed there all day. The entire space spoke to my soul. In high school, I'd toyed with the idea of becoming a massage therapist, but it was not a practical career choice and not the traditional college degree my family expected me to pursue. Then in 2009 as a parent who needed to return to the workforce while also caring for young children, it was an incredibly good fit.
Through it all I kept writing. Most of my writing was just for me. Some was for online games and communities I was active in. Eventually my old dreams of writing my own novels kept nagging at me. They insisted I listen. After many different starts, I found myself starting and completing a novel with an eye towards getting it published.
Then COVID happened and I decided I didn’t want to wait around trying to find a publisher willing to take a chance on me and my book. Life is too unpredictable and I'd set my dream way on the back burner for so long.
The ability to become your own publisher has been made it so much easier as the years have gone by. It’s a strange and wonderful thing to put yourself out there like this. It’s both terrifying and exhilarating. I see the flaws in my work. I would continue to edit it for years if I let myself. But, this pandemic has driven home how fragile life is and how quickly things can change. I already knew this, but it made my decision to do this easier. So, here is my first offering as both a novelist and publisher. I hope you enjoy From Away!
I'd love to hear from you. Please feel free to contact me here or at jessicashayauthor@gmail.com . I have so many more stories to tell. I hope you'll join me for the trip!
