Meet Glass Artist and Novelist Jessica Irena Smith
Jessica Irena Smith is a glass artist and author from County Durham who has just released her second novel
When we last spoke to Jessica for Living North’s February 2017 issue, she was at a bit of a crossroads. ‘I’d been working as a glass artist since 2009, but had also been writing a children’s novel and had already spent years going through what felt like endless rounds of edits and (unsuccessful) submissions to agents,’ she says. ‘In 2017, I decided to give it one last shot, so got a part-time job, which enabled me to write at times of the year that were quieter for my glass business. Long story short, having sworn I’d never write another thing if I didn’t get anywhere with my children’s novel, in 2018, I had the idea for The Summer She Vanished, so turned my hand to adult fiction.’
Jessica has a BA in Glass & Ceramics and an MA in Glass and her debut novel, The Summer She Vanished, was inspired by her time at the National Glass Centre in Sunderland. ‘When I graduated and began working as a self-employed artist, I decided somewhat naively that I needed a fallback plan,’ she says. ‘Writing was that fallback plan!
‘Seeing my book in the flesh was – and still is – so surreal, partly because, in publishing terms, everything happened so quickly. I always say I don’t know what’s weirder – that people I know have read my book, or complete strangers. Either way, it’s lovely that they’ve taken the time to read it.’ Jessica has hosted events at local libraries where her readers have shown their support for her writing. ‘It’s fascinating hearing readers’ take on things,’ she says. ‘I love it when they pick up on little details, tell me which characters they like most, or even draw real-world parallels with the book’s themes.’
In October, Jessica’s new novel The Night of the Crash will publish. ‘The story centres around true crime podcaster, Steppy Corner, who wakes in hospital after a car accident, with no memory of what brought her to the small mountain town where her estranged family live,’ she reveals. ‘All she knows is her mum’s been brutally murdered and her brother’s the prime suspect. As Steppy begins to retrace her steps, she discovers she’d been investigating her brother’s connection to another ongoing case, that of a missing girl last seen with him on Halloween… It’s a story about dark family secrets, complex relationships and uncomfortable truths with, hopefully, a twist or two readers won’t see coming.’
Jessica says she could be inspired by a news article, documentary or podcast. ‘Those “what if” moments that come from them,’ she explains. ‘Often it’s the tiniest seed that sparks an idea, and it just sort of grows from there. The Summer She Vanished was actually inspired by Netflix docuseries The Keepers.’
She continues to practise glass art but admits it’s not always easy. 'Being self-employed is precarious enough, but especially so working across two arts fields,’ she says. ‘There are times when keeping going with it just doesn’t feel sustainable. Having said that, I love what I do, so would find it hard to have it any other way.
‘I try not to think too far ahead, but I’d love to carry on writing (I’m currently working on book number three – something completely different). I enjoy working with glass, but I’ve had some health problems over the years and a couple of surgeries, so writing is something I’ve been able to focus on during those times. The dream would be to write full-time, but even if that doesn’t happen, writing has already given me so much. I’ll always be grateful to it for that.’
