Introduction
In this interview, I had the pleasure of speaking with Jessica Vitalis, author of Coyote Queen, a gripping novel about Fud, a young girl determined to escape an abusive home by winning a beauty pageant. Jessica shared how her own childhood experiences shaped the story and discussed the importance of giving a voice to those trapped in difficult situations. With October being Domestic Violence Awareness Month, it's timely to highlight Coyote Queen, an award-winning novel that blends magical realism with themes of survival, resilience, and hope.
Interview
I must admit that the title of the book caught my attention since it doesn't clearly offer an idea of what the story will be about. How did you link Fud's story with the image of a coyote, and what led you to associate his transformation into a coyote throughout the plot?
Coyote Queen actually started out as a (coyote free) memoir exploring my childhood. We were a transient family, moving nearly 24 times before I reached 4th grade, and we lived in accommodations such as trailers, campers, a bus, and a one-room cabin with no electricity or running water. I was often cold and hungry, and I was scared of one of the adults in my life. Living with abuse, I experienced a strange bifurcation: I learned that it was safer to be invisible, but at the same time, I longed to be seen and heard. Even after I left home and created a comfortable life for myself, that longing remained. I set out to write a memoir about my childhood, but I eventually realized that I wasn’t ready to explore my pain in a meaningful way, and I couldn’t figure out how to force my life into a neat narrative arc. I turned to fiction and wrote several other novels (two of which are now published with Greenwillow / HarperCollins), but the idea of writing a story based on my childhood wouldn’t let me go. Several years later, I tried again, this time pulling just a few key events from my childhood and fictionalizing the rest. Despite my much-improved writing skills, the story still wasn’t working. In an effort to find a path forward, I made a list of the more salient events in my childhood, and one thing that kept coming up for me were the coyotes that used to howl around our trailers and cabin during the period of time we lived in rural Wyoming; I realized that I could incorporate a bit of magic into Fud’s story and use her transition into a coyote as a metaphor for her desire to escape, and that’s when the story really came to life.
When you depict Fud's interest in coyotes, which leads her to investigate and understand their behavior, and then she starts seeing them more and more, it seems to coincide with pivotal moments that happen throughout the story. What message were you trying to convey with this?
Fud’s onnection to and interest in the coyotes was an important storytelling tool; it freed me from the need to tell the reader over and over that she was unhappy, scared, or felt trapped, which might have made the book feel overly repetitive or didactic. Adding this magical connection to the story also added a bit of levity to what otherwise might have been too intense of a book for younger readers.
While this book is primarily aimed at a children and teenage audience, it is also a story suitable for more adult readers. What was your main goal in writing it, and what message did you want to convey through this work?
Coyote Queen started as a sort of love letter to my younger self––a way to process my trauma. Along the way, I realized it wasn’t telling my story that mattered––it was shining a light on the countless children who feel trapped in difficult situations; I hope this book helps them feel seen and heard, and more importantly, I hope it shows them that there is hope for the future––and help available now. An important part of the book is the author’s note at the back, which offers resources for people in need of help and/or for community members who suspect a child in their life is being abused.
As you mention in your notes, you created all the characters and their stories. One of the most impactful characters that conveys a strong message is Larry. Could you share with us how you managed to develop and bring that character to life?
On a practical level, Larry’s career as a boxer was inspired by my biological, paternal grandfather; although he died when I was quite young, I have fond memories of sitting at my grandmother’s feet and looking through albums documenting his career as a professional boxer. And Larry’s job at the coal mine was inspired by the setting; the mines play a large role in Wyoming’s economy. On an emotional level, Larry’s behavior stems, at least in part, from the loss of his dream to become a professional boxer; as a result of his disillusionment, he drinks more, and he becomes progressively more abusive (though it’s important to note that not all alcoholics are abusers and not all abusers are alcoholics). Abusers often operate by trying to control everything and everybody around them, and this is the driving force in Larry’s personality. At the same time, even abusive individuals generally have some positive traits (which is a big part of why and how victims justify staying with them), so it was important to me that Larry came across as multi-faceted rather a stock “evil” character. For example, we learn that he used to bring Fud’s mom flowers, he taught Fud to box, and he rushes her to the hospital after she breaks her arm.
There are two perspectives of the same reality. On one hand, the mother tends to deny what is happening and tries to justify violent behaviors, and on the other hand, the main character is fully aware that what is happening is not right but is afraid to speak up and seek help. Do you believe that for many people, it is extremely difficult to escape from a situation of domestic violence?
Absolutely! Abusers use a variety of tools to control their victims; this ranges from physical to emotional, sexual, financial, and/or digital abuse. They also often work to isolate their victims so they feel they have no other options; we see this in Coyote Queen when Fud and her mother discuss leaving. Larry has created a situation where they are isolated in a rural trailer with no transportation, and they are completely dependent on him financially. Beyond the practical considerations associated with leaving, the emotional ones can be every bit as strong—sometimes victims convince themselves they are in a loving relationship, that the relationship can be fixed if only they act a different way or try harder, and/or sometimes they are so terrified that they literally can’t see a future where they will be safe from their abusers. For children, this situation can be compounded––they feel completely trapped, may not have the words to describe what they are experiencing, and oftentimes don’t know who to turn to for help. I wrote Coyote Queen to help them feel seen and heard––and to give them hope for the future.
During moments of violence and abuse in the story, the character of Fud turns to her imagination to find freedom or escape her reality. Could you share with us how you came to the decision to start writing and if this was your personal means of escape?
Writing was definitely a means of escape for me! As a child, I kept a diary, but I was afraid to write anything too personal in it because I was terrified it would be found by the wrong person, and I’d be punished. To remedy this, I often wrote about the weather, thinking it was a clever metaphor for whatever situation I was experiencing (storms equaled danger and sunshine meant all was quiet on the home front). As a teenager, I experimented with poetry to process my trauma––I didn’t show it to anyone, but I’m delighted to share that I have a novel in free verse coming out in the fall of 2024 titled Unsinkable Cayenne that is inspired by my childhood (though it focuses on class and privilege rather than abuse).
Similar to what happens to Fud and her mother, have you ever experienced moments of great danger where you felt psychologically and emotionally insecure?
Absolutely! I mentioned earlier that I was often scared as a child; some of the more difficult scenes in Coyote Queen, such as the toothbrush and the first hospital scenes, were inspired by my own experiences. That said, some of my most frightening moments weren’t the times that I was scared for my own safety, but when I was terrified that my mother would be hurt or even killed. This often happened at night, when I’d huddle in the dark under the covers and pray that if anything happened to my mom, I would die too, so that I wouldn’t be left alone. To cope, I often disassociated, which is a common trauma response––in my case, I learned to temporarily shut down the thoughts in my head so that I was floating in a completely empty, silent space (but not asleep). This disassociation inspired Fud’s mysterious connection to the coyotes, which often occurs when she’s in bed at night.
In the story, there's a powerful message of hope and the importance of seeking help. Fud eventually manages to ask for help. Have you been able to seek help in your own life? Do you think it's difficult to ask for help?
Unfortunately, I never built up the courage to ask for help as a child and instead left home at the age of sixteen. But in middle and high school I did have friendships and families that provided me with brief bits of respite and modeled the type of life I wanted to build for myself. On an emotional level, I didn’t seek help until I started therapy and attended Al-Anon (a program for families of alcoholics) in my thirties. Seeking help is an immense act of courage, and I hope Fud’s decision to speak up acts as a beacon for anyone currently in a desperate situation.
Regarding the abuse that Fud suffered, the issues were not limited solely to her home but also extended to school, where she faced bullying from her peers. Unfortunately, bullying is a phenomenon that occurs frequently. What is your opinion on this situation?
It’s an enormous problem; bullying is certainly one of the reasons why Fud is so desperate to hide her difficult circumstances. Until we can remove the stigma associated with abuse, and in Fud’s case poverty, I suspect it’s going to be difficult to make progress on this topic, but I hope that shining a light on these issues can open important dialogues and hopefully help move us in the right direction.
I don't want to give away too much about the story to encourage people to read it, but the ending has a resolution where the mother chooses not to be a part of it. What led you to make that decision?
There are rarely easy answers to the types of problems Fud and her mother face, and I believe it would be doing readers a real disservice to offer false promises of happily-ever-after. That said, one of my goals in writing Coyote Queen was to provide readers with hope, and to empower them to ask for help while at the same time making it clear to young readers that they aren’t responsible for taking care of (or fixing the bad decisions made by) the adults in their lives.
In your notes, you talk about official reporters or anyone who can report abuse. How important do you consider it for people to know that they can report if they see signs of abuse or suspect something is not right?
Mandated reporters in professions such as education and medicine are aware of their responsibilities, but I suspect the general population isn’t aware of how widespread domestic violence and abuse is (according to the World Health Organization, one BILLION children experienced abuse or neglect last year), and many people wouldn’t know how to report it even if they witnessed or suspected abuse. Raising awareness and making sure that reporting resources are readily available could save countless children from further abuse. (ChildHelp offers a link to reporting resources by state on their website at Childhelphotline.org.)
To conclude, would you like to share a message with all those who are currently reading us? What expectations can they have when delving into your book, and what is the reason they should give it a chance to read?
I wrote Coyote Queen to give voice to the countless children (and adults) in difficult situations, but I hope it’s also a gripping story that will build empathy and awareness among readers who might be in a position to help. I’d like to think that a recent quote about Coyote Queen from award-winning author Jenn Reese sums up the book perfectly: “An unflinching depiction of domestic violence and poverty interwoven with budding friendships and coyote magic. There are no easy answers, but there is hope. This book lights the way.”
Learn More
To explore more about Jessica Vitalis and her books, visit her official website. If you're interested in purchasing Coyote Queen, you can find it at HarperCollins.
