Mary Cecilia Jackson Books In Order

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

An American writer, Mary Cecilia Jackson is an author who has made a name for herself as a Young Adult novelist extremely quickly. Coming from a background in psychology, she has been a speech-writer along with working in the media prior to becoming a novelist. With something to say and express in her fiction, she is a clear and articulate author, laying out her many ideas in an accessible and highly entertaining manner. Not only that, but her words resonate with readers too, writing sincerely straight from the heart in a style that is never overbearing. Her work is also extremely easy to pick up, making for a deceptively simple read, that has plenty of ideas brimming just underneath the surface.

Striking exactly the right tone throughout her work, Jackson manages to get the balance just right at all times, never letting it spill over too far one way or the other. Because of this her fiction has a far greater impact on the reader, making it a lot more powerful leaving a lasting impression on them. This has led to her becoming hugely successful as more and more are beginning to discover her work, paving the way to her becoming a household name worldwide. Dealing with difficult subject matter too, she never shies away from the darker elements, bringing it to the forefront in a tactful and sensitive manner. She’s definitely not stopping anytime soon either, as her writing career continues to grow, with more books likely planned on the horizon.

Early and Personal Life:

Born in Providence, Rhode Island, in the United States, Mary Cecilia Jackson would grow up keenly interested in literature and the written word. Constantly reading throughout her time in Catholic elementary school, she would spend her early childhood in Massachusetts, where she was raised. Keeping to herself from an early age, she spent most of her time with her head in a book, allowing her to find herself through writing. Moving to Virginia during fourth grade, she would develop a passion for the south, becoming heavily interested in the accent and its culture.

This would progress throughout high-school, as she continued to build upon her love of both reading and writing. Establishing a strong voice for herself, she would go on to study English at university level, going on to gain a major in the subject. Prior to going into English though she would study Psychology, but quickly realized that this wasn’t for her, and that her heart lay with English as a subject. Reading was always her primary passion, and this would be something that she’d continue to stick with throughout the rest of her life.

Graduating from Virginia Tech, as well as from the College of William and Mary, she’d go on to work as a middle-school teacher. Following this she would later become an adjunct instructor of college freshmen, before turning to technical writing and editing. As a speech-writer too, she would write words to be spoken before large numbers of people, along with working as a museum docent too. All of this would gradually enable her to become better equipped at presenting herself before and writing for large audiences.

Working in the media prior to becoming a writer too, Jackson would also work as a development officer for Virginia’s NPR and PBS stations. Currently living with her architect husband, she continues to write to this day from her home in West North Carolina, along with Hawaii. Always looking for the next big idea, she puts a lot of her own experiences back into her work allowing it to become a lot more personal. There’s a lot more to come yet, as her writing career grows from strength-to-strength, with her building on it every day.

Writing Career:

Planning her first novel for a long time prior to releasing it, the lead-up to Mary Cecilia Jackson’s debut was definitely worth it. Releasing her first novel in 2020 to huge acclaim, she would make her entry onto the literary scene with ‘Sparrow’. This would set the standard for a lot of what was to come, as it would be well received by her many reader, reaching a worldwide audience in the process. Published for a Young Adult audience, it would immediately immerse her readers into her world too, speaking directly to them in a style that was easy to understand.

The themes covered in her first book were also pretty heavy, dealing with abuse and troubled pasts, something which Jackson looks at with tact and care. It would also become an honor recipient of the much coveted SCBWI Sue Alexander Award, as well as becoming a Young Adult finalist in a manuscript contest for the Writers’ League of Texas. Her first book would also be compared to Laurie Halse Anderson and her novel ‘Speak’, which would provide Jackson with a lot of positive inspiration. With more and more discovering her work every day, she’s definitely a writer to watch in the following years to come.

Sparrow

First published by Tor Teen in 2020 on the 17th of March, this would be the first book to come from Mary Cecilia Jackson as an author. Not being a part of any overall series, it would be a stand-alone book, with it holding an entirely self-contained narrative. It’s a Young Adult novel, and one with some fairly hard hitting subject matter that gets straight to the point in its direct manner, and it really manages to draw the reader in to its engrossing story.

Looking to escape her past, Savannah Darcy Rose feels that she’s always essentially been ‘prey’ to others. Known for her ability in keeping secrets, many others confide in her, as she’s known as Sparrow to her friends, and she’s also known for being a talented ballerina. Believing her to be safe after her mother’s death, she must now contend with the fact that her boyfriend, who she felt to be perfect in every way, has assaulted her. Now she must deal with the past, confronting the truth of it, as she comes to terms with everything that makes her up as Sparrow.