Author2Author: Joshilyn Jackson & Helen Ellis, pt. 4

As is often the case, look for a special bonus round of questions and answers between Helen and Joshilyn over the weekend!

Joshilyn Jackson: Reading Eating the Cheshire Cat, I was struck by the intensity of the various power struggles--wars actually--being waged, often silently, by female characters against each other. Is this sort of smiling territorialism Southern? Or female? Or simply human?

Helen Ellis: Good question. You may be the first person who pulled out the fact that so many of the attacks are silent. I don't think I noticed it myself! But it's true. I wonder if it's particularly southern and woman related. Being that I didn't notice, maybe it's inbred.

I know that southern ladies are raised to be ladies in public. I myself was told by my Mama, "You can say anything you want about somebody else as long as you do it in the privacy of your own home." You never know who's sitting behind you at the movie theater (or football stadium or classroom) to overhear. Living in New York City, you can hear women on public transportation loudly confront riders who don't give up seats for old women--though it's my opinion if you're going to have plastic surgery to look younger, I'm going to treat you as such. Full lips, smooth forehead, and osteoporosis? Hang onto the strap, sister, you're standing all the way up Madison Avenue!