Visiting with Jessica Lee Anderson

by Claire Guyton, Art + Life Editor 

What inspired the novel in which your piece “Finding Bigfoot” appears?

(1) I made a remark that my dog, JoJo, sort of looked Bigfoot-like while she was sleeping on the back of the couch. (2) While I was relaxing on that very same couch watching television, a Bigfoot-hunting documentary coincidentally came on. (3) A day later, I purchased a painting at a gallery (to fill a spot above that couch) and the sales person’s name was Everdil. I thought, “Wow, that would make a great character name.” 

Before too long, I began plotting about a girl named Everdil and her subsequent quest to find Bigfoot. 

Tell us about your writing process—either generally or specifically with regard to the birth and development of this novel.

Around the time of the story’s inspiration, my husband and I traveled to Uncertain, Texas to research the setting. I wrote a rough (very rough!) draft of the novel, and then my fabulous, wonderful, and inspirational critique partners helped me whip the novel into shape. The story went through several rewrites. Even now, thanks to constructive feedback, the story has evolved since submitting to Hunger Mountain. 

If you painted your novel, what colors would you use?

Fun! I’d dab the primary colors all over the canvas, and then I’d layer them in a few sections to create shades of brown. 

What books have had the most impact on your writing?

So many books have influenced my writing over the years, but for this particular novel, Roland Smith’s Sasquatch had a big impact because I wanted to create a story that felt as authentic but yet was different enough.

  

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*Contact Claire with any questions or suggestions for Hunger Mountain’s Art + Life section at hungermtnal@gmail.com. 

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