The Writer's Shelf with Jessica Carmichael
"The Full Picture" author on navigating identity, Detty December, and going from pantser to plotter.
Welcome back to The Writer’s Shelf, a series where I chat with my favorite authors about their creative process, the moments that shaped their work, and, of course, the books they recommend reading.
Set during Accra, Ghana’s vibrant Detty December celebrations, The Full Picture is an amazing debut that follows Robyn Carter, a college student navigating grief, family expectations, and the (often messy!) journey that is coming of age on her first trip back to the country since her mother’s death.
Listen, I had so much fun reading this book! I laughed, teared up more than once, wanted to strangle some characters, and quickly fell in love with others. *Ahem, Osei.*
Below, author Jessica Carmichael details her experience as a debut author, exploring identity through the eyes of a Ghanaian-Bajan Canadian teen, and bringing Detty December to life in fiction.
Jessica, tell us a little about yourself! What would we find on the back flap of a dust jacket?
I’m an Edmonton-based young adult author who loves writing coming-of-age stories for Black youth, both in and outside of the diaspora. While I’m an award-winning sports journalist, The Full Picture is my first novel. I was born and raised in the ‘city just above Toronto,’ and I’m the kind of person who loves a good time and an even better book.
Describe your book in three words.
Exhilarating. Warm. Wholehearted.
What was the ‘aha!’ moment or little seed that planted this story idea in your mind?
My aha moment was in January 2020 after my first trip to Ghana in 2019. It was the Year of Return, and I had the time of my life reuniting with my family, falling for cute boys, and going to music festivals (I know, sounds familiar 👀). When the world shut down for COVID, I was reading His Only Wife by Peace Adzo Medie and felt like I was back in Ghana. I wanted to recreate that experience through my own writing, but especially for young adults, and that’s when I started drafting The Full Picture!
If your book had a theme song, what would it be? And which character’s playlist would it definitely be on?
This is a hard one, but I’d say either “Live from the 233” by Kwesi Arthur or “Feels” by my good friend Boyd. They’re both talented Ghanaian artists, and they’d be on Robyn’s playlist. “Live from the 233” captures that feeling when you touch down in Accra, and you know you’re about to hit the town! “Feels,” on the other hand, has a line that says, “I ain’t got no business catching feelings with you,” which perfectly sums up what Robyn is going through in the book.
The Full Picture explores identity from the perspective of Robyn, a young Black woman navigating the diaspora. How do you hope readers who share that experience will feel seen or challenged by the story?
I think that when you’re part of the diaspora, and you go back home for the first time, there can be so many complex feelings, and we don’t often get to see those stories explored in traditional media. We’ve all seen movies and books about the girl who studies abroad in London or Paris, but what is it like to go back to Accra or Lagos? I want readers who look like me to feel like someone wrote this story just for them, and if not them, someone they know. I also write for those who are still learning to love every part of who they are, even when it feels like the world is trying to box them in. I want them to know that they are a beautiful combination of every part of their identity, and their stories deserve to be told.
Detty December radiates such a specific and electric energy on the page. What made you want to capture that in fiction, and what felt important for you to get right about it?
When you experience something as electric as Detty December, it’s hard not to want to recreate it. You want to put it in a bottle, share it with the world, and make everyone feel that energy. I remember coming back and telling all my Jamaican girlfriends that they just had to go! It’s obviously a fun time, but it’s also a time to connect to your roots if you’re part of the Black diaspora. Visiting Ghana, especially Cape Coast, where “The Door of No Return” is, is something I encourage all of us to do.
Are you more of a plotter or a pantser when it comes to writing?
I started as a pantser, and several drafts of nonsense later, I knew I had to become a plotter. Now, sitting down and writing out the three-act structure is one of my favourite things to do.
What was the very first scene you wrote for The Full Picture, and did it end up making it into the final version?
The first scene I wrote was actually Robyn in her dorm room with her best friend, Chelsea, just about to leave for Ghana. It didn’t make it into the final version because I had received a lot of feedback that the book wasn’t starting in the right place. Now, the book begins with her about to land in Accra, heavily contemplating her decision to come on the trip, and it is, without a doubt, the stronger opener.
What’s your ideal writing setup? Do you have any rituals that help you get in the zone?
For my everyday, more creative writing, it’s probably bad, but I love writing from bed. When it’s time for full-on editing, cleaning up, or meeting a deadline, my desk is my best friend. On those days, I take Vyvanse to help with my ADHD, and I’m locked in until I hit my writing goal.
What surprised you most about the debut experience, either in writing the book or bringing it into the world?
I think what surprised me most is how much publicity is really needed. Whether you go the traditional route or the self-publishing route, you have to put a lot of yourself out there, and that can be tough. There were many days I didn’t want to show up, but I know that even if just one person discovers my story, that’s one more person who could read it—and that makes it worth it.
If you could go back to the earliest version of yourself working on this novel, what would you tell her?
I would tell her that the version she’s writing is just the beginning. I would tell her that she doesn’t know everything yet, and that’s beautiful, because beginnings are beautiful. I’d remind her to be open to feedback and change, and that she’ll be so grateful for the end result. Oh, and don’t compare your journey to others!!!
Your shelves—organized by color, genre, or author? Always by color. I may not be able to find a book, but it makes me feel good when I walk past it. [Note from Alexis: Same!]
A book on your shelf that means the most to you: His Only Wife by Peace Adzo Medie
A book you believe everyone should have on their shelf: The Full Picture by Jessica Carmichael
A book on your shelf you wish you could read for the first time again: How to Say Babylon by Safiya Sinclair
A book on your shelf that you’d be excited to see adapted into a movie: Honey and Spice by Bolu Babalola (Luckily, we’ll be getting that very soon!)
Quirky or unusual items on your shelf alongside your books: My book embosser. I stamp each book with an imprint that says “From the Shelf of Jessica Carmichael.”
Here’s where to find and support Jessica’s work:
Check out Jessica’s website: byjessicacarmichael.com
Subscribe to her newsletter: Gist with Jess
Follow Jessica on Instagram @jaaycarmichael and TikTok @jaaycarmichael