Emmy Jackson is the author of the post-apocalyptic urban fantasy novel Empty Cradle: The Untimely Death of Corey Sanderson. He lived as a nomad in an RV for three years, wandering the continental United States at will. He was born and raised in Detroit and always returns no matter how many times he moves away. He is an ex-school bus driver, an ex-marketing manager, and a self-published, self-syndicated freelance writer. Emmy speaks the secret language of cars, is a rescuer of things, and enjoys dancing, collecting toy cars and traveling to visit new goth clubs. He lives in a suburb of Detroit.
Writing, for me, has always been about listening to the voices in my head. I don’t mean that in a facetious, Hot Topic T-shirt way, but almost literally. It’s always started with a character speaking (or thinking) and if I listen carefully enough, some mental clutch slips a little bit and my new imaginary friend’s reality will begin to overlay my own, ever so slightly. It’s kind of like an image projected on a window, mirroring and adding to the reality beyond.
When this first started happening, in grade school, I didn’t think anything of it; an overactive imagination was just a handy way to make every day an adventure, after all. As I got older, though, I began to wonder if it was “right,” going so far as to visit a therapist or three during college. When they asked if I heard voices, I told them yes, and tried to explain, but this led to all future efforts being directed toward getting rid of the voices. And this, in turn, made me realize that I liked them. View full article »