Back Matter Break Down: Interview with Brentom Jackson

Welcome to the Back Matter Break Down! I am so glad to bring you an interview today with Brentom Jackson, a debut author whose picture book brings together Easter, creativity, fashion, Black history, and faith traditions all in one delightful package. Enjoy this interview, but make sure to stay all the way to then for details on a how to win a free, signed copy of Elijah’s Easter Suit! Let’s go!

Book: Elijah’s Easter Suit

Author: Brentom Jackson

Illustrator: Emmanuel Boateng

Publisher / Year: Doubleday Books for Young Readers, 2024

Genre: Fiction

Topics: Easter, Fashion, Black History

Blurb: “Elijah is on a mission to find the perfect church outfit for Easter. But when failed attempts at his town’s stores leave Elijah disappointed, an important conversation with Deacon Brown and Mother Green about tradition, culture, and clothing gives him the courage to create his own Easter masterpiece: a patchwork of perfection that tells his story with style.”

What is your manuscript word count? What is your back matter word count? 

My manuscript word count is 539. The backmatter word count is 504.

At what phase of the drafting/revising/publishing process did you decide your book needed back matter?  

Back matter came as a suggestion from my editor. During the pagination process we realized some of the historical information that I wanted to convey in the story interrupted the rhythm of the text. Using more creative ways to express these thoughts in the manuscript and using back matter to provide more in depth information was our solution. 

What kind of research did you do for the back matter? 

Autobiographies served as primary sources and scholarly articles were secondary sources. I also spent a lot of time reading fashion magazines and looking at old advertisements/catalogs, etc. 

What did the first draft of the back matter look like? Can you show us snippets? 

Ha! My first draft of back matter was simply a list of research and sources I’d gathered during the manuscript writing process. I sent that to my editor and she was like, “Um…this is great. Now let’s turn it into back matter.”

Tell us about the back matter revision process. Why did changes occur? What changes and revisions came about after working with the editor/agent?  

I worked to turn that list into actual back matter with the help of my editor.  My biggest challenge was defining such serious topics (enslavement, African Diaspora, segregation, and Jim Crow laws) for young readers. After that the copy editor took over and provided much needed help with the grammar, punctuation and citation. 

What was the process for selecting and securing the rights to publish the photos that appear in your back matter? 

My back matter centered upon one particular photo: “Negro boys on Easter morning. Southside, Chicago, Illinois 1941” by Russell Lee. This photo was one of my biggest inspirations for writing the book. I would have been happy if only that photo was included in the back matter. However, my publisher was able to secure other images from that photo essay.  

Is your back matter aimed for kid readers or adults? What do you hope readers will take away after reading your back matter content? 

There is a biographical portion of the back matter that I aimed at parents. I wanted them to feel that sense of nostalgia I enjoyed while writing this book. The photos in the back matter are aimed at grandparents and history enthusiasts. I wanted them to see those images and be reminded about this time in our history. The more informational content is aimed at kid readers. I wanted to convey the same lesson that community members in the story impart to Elijah about the tradition of Sunday’s Best, with a little more historical context. 

Reflecting on this process and what you learned, what tips can you offer picture book writers for writing back matter?

Save all the things you come across while researching during the manuscript writing process. During the revision process: constantly repeat the phrase “There is always back matter!” This will help you kill your darlings more effectively. 

Are there resources or comp titles you can share that would be helpful for writer’s wanting to learn more about back matter?  

The 12×12 Community page Backmatter Matters was a great resource. Always turn to your editor, critique partners and mentors who have experience with back matter. 

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Thank you, Brentom! It was fascinating to read how your back matter grew from a list of sources into the compelling material that it became!

Please support Brentom! Follow him – @brentomjackson on all social media

Purchase copies of Elijah’s Easter Suit! https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/722293/elijahs-easter-suit-by-brentom-jackson-illustrated-by-emmanuel-boateng/

Now for the giveaway! Brentom has generously offered to give one lucky person a signed copy of Elijah’s Easter Suit! To enter: Leave one comment on this blog post by February 6, 2024 at 11:59pm Pacific Time. A winner will be chosen at random and notified on February 7, 2024. One entry per person!

Update: The giveaway is now closed. Congrats to Lisa–you are the winner!

Thank you for reading!

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