Being a published author is nothing new to Oxford resident Gloria Nixon-John, but laying open her feelings and emotions to personal stories that took place in her childhood for others to read is. And that’s what she did with her latest Young Adult Crossover Novel ‘Learning from Lady Chatterley: A Novel Based on Memory.?
‘This is the one I had to write. It’s a coming of age kind of story and it deals with some traumatic things that happened during a period in American History that every one called ‘Happy Days,? Nixon-John said. ‘This was looking back into my life and is very personal.?
The daughter of Italian immigrants, Nixon-John grew up during the 1950’s in a blue-collar ethnic neighborhood in Detroit, where there was strong discrimination against ethnic groups, specifically Italians, which a lot of her experiences revolve around.
‘Really it’s a series of experiences that the 12 year-old me had in Detroit at the time post World War II,? she added.
Some of Nixon-John’s experiences included learning that her best friend’s mom was a Nazi sympathizer and the neighborhood local hero was a pedophile, to whom she was a victim.
‘That’s a pivotal chapter that young women need to read, we can’t just not talk about it,? she said. ‘So, I’m just finally at the age where I am comfortable talking about things that I never (was) before.?
She also learned life lessons as she watched her father’s actions after the first black family moved into the neighborhood.
‘I saw my father rise above the strange things neighbors were saying and doing (to that family) to show his humanity,? she noted. ‘I learned a lot from that.?
At age 12, Nixon-John, was also ‘in love with the neighborhood leather-clad bad-boy.?
‘I wanted to learn more about love, so I snuck ‘Lady Chaterley’s Lover? out of the Library and sat under the stairs and read it. That’s basically how I got the title,? she explained. ‘A lot of people look at the title and think ‘Oh it’s really racy,? because ‘Lady Chatterly’s Lover? was a book that was censored in this country for a long time and that made it even more appealing for a 12 year-old.?
Nixon-John believes the book is a great read for young girls.
‘I think that every young girl in that age (group) from 12 to 18 would be a target audience. Then, senior citizens will love it because it’s their lives taken back,? she said.
When it came to writing the book, she originally started to write it in prose, but instead decided to change it to the poetic form of narrative verse. Nixon-John, who retired as a teacher from Troy High School, still continues to teach writing to adult students and gave such an assignment to her students.
‘I asked them to take an essay they had written in prose and try to get them to edit a little differently I asked them to turn their papers into lines of poetry. That’s a great exercise because the images surface and the unimportant things drop away,? she said. I hope that’s one of the things that happened when I did this.?
‘When I turned the prose into this poetry, to me it was an amazing transition because it felt like the voice (in the story) came out a little more and the pivotal moments were in the spotlight through the images,? she continued. ‘So it was an experiment I felt worked really well for me as opposed to straight prose, which is a whole different ball game.?
Writing the book, Nixon-John said brought out a lot of emotion and trepidation, but also gave a sense of relief.
‘Yes I cried when I wrote some of it and sometimes when I talk about it I cry,? she said. ‘Although a lot of bad things happened, I also talk about how I would go back there in a heartbeat if I could because I am a bringing my parents back (through writing this book).?
‘Growing up I didn’t have a lot (of) material things, but when I think back now to the lessons I learned from these very modest, humble people that were my parents, I’m so relieved,? she continued. ‘I think in life it gives you an advantage to not have had a lot.?
Nixon-John said her love for writing also came around the same time her love for reading did.
‘I think I was just very sensitive and writing was a way to express myself when I couldn’t anywhere else. Reading and writing (were) my oasis or my solace,? she said. ‘I remember writing poems very, very young. Just silly little rhymes and that developed into my love for literature.?
She also had a high school teacher who was very influential.
?(He) handed me a book by (William) Faulkner when I was in high school, ‘Light in August. (The teacher) said ‘Everyone else is reading Moby Dick, but I think you can understand this one.? He kind of expressed that I could find something in that book that maybe I couldn’t find anywhere else,? she said. ‘I think that was a pivotal time where I got interested in not just reading, but writing.?
Nixon-John went on to Wayne State University, where she got her Bachelor’s degree in English and her Masters in Communications and then went on to Michigan State University where she received her Doctorate in Literature.
‘Learning from Lady Chatterley? was printed by Neverland Publishing, a small publishing company based in Miami Florida.
‘I’m real pleased I have a review by Tom Romano who’s well known in the education community. He writes a lot about teachers teaching English and actually he suggested this be used as a class text for young adults,? Nixon-John said. ‘I’m real thrilled about that review.?
She is also writing a study-guide to go along with her book that could be used in book clubs and classrooms. Nixon-John noted that she is available to speak in the Oxford community for free about her book.
Neverland also published her first book, ‘The Killing jar,? about one of the youngest Americans to have served on death row.
Since its publication in June 2012, ‘The Killing Jar? has received significant buzz and good reviews, according to a press release.
She has also published poetry, essays and fiction in both small and mainstream presses as well as chapters in pedagogical texts for teachers.
When not reading or writing, Nixon-John enjoys time with her family, time in her garden and time with her horses, dogs and cats.
‘Learning from Lady Chatterley? is available at www.amazon.com in both paperback and Kindle versions.