Jess Molyneux
Championing Positive Teen Relationships
Hi Jess,
Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to talk to us.
I'd love to find out a bit more about you and what makes you tick.
Have you always wanted to be a writer?
I've always been writing in one form or another. I first had a poem published when I was 12, then I went on to win the Liverpool Libraries Poetry Competition as a teenager. I then continued my love of writing by producing exemplar pieces and parodies for my students during my time as an English teacher. I wish I hadn't waited so long to start writing my novels, but I'm glad I got there in the end. I've also returned to writing poetry, and have had my more recent work published in a range of anthologies and magazines.
Is there one particular person who inspired you to write?
I had two fantastic English teachers, but one in particular, Mr Hartley, encouraged me to write for a living. I still have the school report from 1986, when I was 14, in which he tells me to 'start collecting rejection slips now'.
Why do you think books are important?
As a child, they were the only form of entertainment there was, but it's been good to see children still enjoying books, even though they have so many other options to choose from. They allow the reader to step out of whatever world they're in and enter another one, even if only for half an hour a night before bed.
Who is your favourite author/ which is your favourite book? Why?
I'm going to nominate one of the books I used to use when teaching GCSE English. If a book was on the syllabus for several years, I'd find myself having to read and discuss it at least once a year, sometimes more. If it was something I didn't like, it could be a painful experience ('Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde'!), but there are some texts I could read and talk about again and again without getting tired, such as 'An Inspector Calls' by JB Priestley. Whenever I began it with a new class, I'd feel envious of them getting to read it for the first time.
What sort of music do you like to listen to? Who is your favourite singer/ band?
I like all sorts of music and it'd be impossible to pin it down to just one favourite, but I'm afraid I've turned into my parents when I hear any modern chart music - it's just noise!
Who do you admire most in the world? Why?
Right now, it's that lovely young man (see, told you I was turning into an old woman) Marcus Rashford. As a footballer, presumably he makes good money, and it would have been easy for him to think 'I'm alright Jack' and not stand up to help others, but he didn't.
If you had the opportunity to change one thing what would it be?
Inequality still exists on many levels. I'd end that...not much to ask, eh?
If you could choose a superpower what would it be?
I'd like to be invisible, and be able to go to places I wouldn't normally be allowed!
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Tell us all about your book.
I've written two books under the pen name Jess Molyneux. The first, 'X Y, Z' was published in 2017. It shows a year in the life of 17 year old Zoe Thompson as she embarks upon her first serious relationship with boyfriend Alex. The follow-up, 'SE6' was published in 2019; Zoes's at university, but where's Alex?
What was your inspiration for your book?
When I was a teacher, I noticed teenage girls were reading a trilogy of books that I didn't feel gave them appropriate messages about how they should expect to be treated in a relationship. I saw the need for a book that contained the sex scenes they were looking for, but with a greater emphasis on consent, respect, and showing girls that they should not tolerate anything less than being treated as an equal.
Which of your characters do you like most? Why?
I'm going to say a relatively minor character: Miss Dey, Zoe's English teacher in 'X Y, Z'. She's a great teacher and genuinely cares about seeing Zoe succeed. My original idea for her was that she was in her mid fifties, a seen-it-done-it kind of person, but I decided she was more early thirties in the end. She appears in both 'X Y, Z' and 'SE6' and she's got a few surprises up her sleeve!
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What motivates your main character?
I wanted Zoe to be a positive role model for older teenage girls, and I'd like to think I've achieved that. She's not exactly certain what career she wants to pursue yet (she's still only 20 by the end of her second book), but she knows she has to work hard to achieve her goals. Alex means a lot to her, but she doesn't let herself be ruled by him.
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What do you think is your main character's best and worst trait?
Zoe's intelligent, witty and warm-hearted, but she has been known to be a bit jealous at times.
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What reception has your book had?
Since it was published in 2017, I've been amazed by the positive reception 'X Y, Z' has had. I've had young people tell me it's a much-needed book that shows them what they should expect from relationships, while older readers have said they wished there had been a book like it when they were younger. I've had reviews such as 'Refreshingly realistic teen fiction at its best!' and 'Genuinely the best book I have read'. Even when the Liverpool Echo reported on it, using the headline 'School Teacher Writes Sex Book For Children' (the book comes with a warning that it's suitable for ages 15 and over), it turned out positively, because BBC Radio 5 Live invited me to be interviewed live on air the next day to give my side of the story! So, it's not been without its share of controversy, but most people agree it's an important book that should be on every older teenage girl's bookshelf.