We Jumped Anyway will appeal to fans of Stand by Me, The Breakfast Club, and John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars. With a vibrant, diverse cast of characters, my book would give readers and viewers the chance to see people like themselves as heroes, no matter the colour of the skin, the way they love, or how much they’ve been through.
Jude Fox is the daredevil wild child whose life hangs in the balance. Before the fire, she was a brave but wounded girl always looking for a fight. The fire has given her one.
Levi Fox is Jude’s twin brother and shadow. Before the fire, he’d already lost his mother, and with Jude now in a coma, Levi scrambles to protect what little he has left while battling anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. Between Levi and Jude, she was always the fighter; if his twin doesn’t survive, can Levi learn to live outside her shadow?
Maximiliano Luna grew up with the Fox twins and is in love with both of them (a dangerous way to be in this small prairie town). Max channels his crushing grief for Jude through his concern for Levi, and drinks to avoid admitting he feels anything for anyone.
Grace Aarons is a self-righteous girl full of faith and good intentions. No matter what she’s faced, whether it’s racism or heartbreak, Grace never backs down from what she believes in, sometimes with tragic results.
Finnian McGee is the love of Jude’s life. Brilliant, deaf, and resilient, Finn has overcome a history of child abuse and suicide attempts to secure a bright future for himself -- until the fire and he disappears without a trace. But Finn isn’t the only mystery in this story.
Charlie Piper is the last person to see Jude in the fire and is the only person who might have the answer why she ran back inside the burning school. Charlie is an artist and outsider in love with Max Luna, and she would have died in that fire if it hadn’t been for Jude. She spends her summer trying to solve the puzzle behind Jude’s last words while also learning to heal from her own tragic past. No one knows it yet, but Charlie Piper is the key to putting everyone back together.
Through my complicated and multicultural characters, I aim to positively represent Deaf culture, sexuality, mental illness, and just how strong and unstoppable girls can be. This is my story to tell because I grew up in a small prairie town like the one I’ve fictionalized here, and these are the characters I needed back then, characters that I believe today’s young men and women could find comfort and inspiration in. I want all readers/viewers, but especially young adults, to know that sometimes love just can’t save you -- but you can always save yourself.