Next Chapter Bookshop Hosts Author of ‘Backseat Saints’

In Backseat Saints, novelist Joshilyn Jackson powerfully spotlights a nondescript minor character from her best-selling debut, Gods in Alabama. The tale’s unfortunate protagonist, Rose Mae Lolley, has spent her entire life in the company of worthless and violent men, thanks to a mother who abandoned her to an abusive father and, now, her handsome but hardhanded husband. In spite of the fact that Rose Mae herself is deceitful, impulsive and of a less than likable nature, her implausible strength to battle through a living hell of physical defilement gives Backseat Saints a heart-wrenching emphasis that is both poignant and riveting.

Rose Mae’s life undergoes a complete reversal when she encounters an airport gypsy who forecasts a future of unbridled murder: Unless Rose kills her husband, he is destined to eliminate her first. This revelation promptly launches Rose on an earnest adventure as she flees her oppressive daily life toward a path of redemption and forgiveness. Perfectly captured in the author’s enveloping wit and spirit, Backseat Saints is a tale of an enduring heroine with dauntless courage and unstoppable resolve.

Jackson is a New York Times best-selling novelist and winner of many major awards. All three of her previous releases have been chosen for the Books-A-Million Book Club. Jackson, who lives in Georgia with her husband and two children, will appear at Next Chapter Bookshop on Thursday, June 24, to discuss Backseat Saints.

School recently let out, but kids entering grades 5-9 in the fall can take advantage of an educational opportunity at WoodlandPattern’s poetry camp from June 28-July 2. In essence, this camp is a young writers’ workshop—complete with guest artist visits and daily field trips—that helps children discover the world through poetry. Past camps have included workshops by the Milwaukee Slam Team and visits from members of Milwaukee Public Theatre. To register, contact Woodland Pattern Book Center at 263-5001.