Joanna 'JoJo' Levesque

So it just felt like with the culmination of 20 years and also with Jeanette McCurdy being around our age and writing a book, it gave me the audacity to be like, oh, I'm not too young to write about my story. And actually, I have a lot of things to share. I think I counted myself out for a long time. I'm like, oh, I need to be at this place or I need to be at this age to share my stories.

But people like you and Jeanette and... And tons of other examples kind of gave me the balls to be like, why not me? I have a lot to share. I have a unique perspective. And I don't know what the fuck I'm doing. I've never written a book before. But damn it, I'm going to give it a shot. It was cathartic, I'm sure. Very cathartic. And I have my uncle Scott Blagdon who is a published author.

But people like you and Jeanette and... And tons of other examples kind of gave me the balls to be like, why not me? I have a lot to share. I have a unique perspective. And I don't know what the fuck I'm doing. I've never written a book before. But damn it, I'm going to give it a shot. It was cathartic, I'm sure. Very cathartic. And I have my uncle Scott Blagdon who is a published author.

But people like you and Jeanette and... And tons of other examples kind of gave me the balls to be like, why not me? I have a lot to share. I have a unique perspective. And I don't know what the fuck I'm doing. I've never written a book before. But damn it, I'm going to give it a shot. It was cathartic, I'm sure. Very cathartic. And I have my uncle Scott Blagdon who is a published author.

He wrote a book called Dear Life You Suck and many other books too. But he's such a good fiction writer. And when I was shopping my concept around to different publishers, he kind of gave me a crash course in – how to structure a book, about the hero's journey, about everything that he's learned as a professional writer over the years.

He wrote a book called Dear Life You Suck and many other books too. But he's such a good fiction writer. And when I was shopping my concept around to different publishers, he kind of gave me a crash course in – how to structure a book, about the hero's journey, about everything that he's learned as a professional writer over the years.

He wrote a book called Dear Life You Suck and many other books too. But he's such a good fiction writer. And when I was shopping my concept around to different publishers, he kind of gave me a crash course in – how to structure a book, about the hero's journey, about everything that he's learned as a professional writer over the years.

So between him and then the publishing house and the editor that I ended up going with, I had some hand-holding and some good teachers along the way.

So between him and then the publishing house and the editor that I ended up going with, I had some hand-holding and some good teachers along the way.

So between him and then the publishing house and the editor that I ended up going with, I had some hand-holding and some good teachers along the way.

Yeah, it was cool. I think that regardless of whether it did well or didn't, the fact that it became a New York Times bestseller is icing on the cake. I wasn't expecting it. You know what I mean? I know you know what I mean. Because like I was just proud of myself for – doing it. That was going to be accomplishment enough. For sure. And then anything else was icing on the cake.

Yeah, it was cool. I think that regardless of whether it did well or didn't, the fact that it became a New York Times bestseller is icing on the cake. I wasn't expecting it. You know what I mean? I know you know what I mean. Because like I was just proud of myself for – doing it. That was going to be accomplishment enough. For sure. And then anything else was icing on the cake.

Yeah, it was cool. I think that regardless of whether it did well or didn't, the fact that it became a New York Times bestseller is icing on the cake. I wasn't expecting it. You know what I mean? I know you know what I mean. Because like I was just proud of myself for – doing it. That was going to be accomplishment enough. For sure. And then anything else was icing on the cake.

The fact that my mom was okay with me sharing some of our story and all that stuff, all of that was everything I needed. And then anything else was just an added blessing.

The fact that my mom was okay with me sharing some of our story and all that stuff, all of that was everything I needed. And then anything else was just an added blessing.

The fact that my mom was okay with me sharing some of our story and all that stuff, all of that was everything I needed. And then anything else was just an added blessing.

Okay. Yeah. I mean, I asked her. I was like, there are some I asked if she wanted to see the first draft, the second draft, the third draft, fourth draft, fifth draft. She didn't want to see it. And I'm like, Ma, like, don't you want to? I interviewed her. I asked her for her memory of some things that went down because my mom was deeply depressed during like the heyday of my career.

Okay. Yeah. I mean, I asked her. I was like, there are some I asked if she wanted to see the first draft, the second draft, the third draft, fourth draft, fifth draft. She didn't want to see it. And I'm like, Ma, like, don't you want to? I interviewed her. I asked her for her memory of some things that went down because my mom was deeply depressed during like the heyday of my career.

Okay. Yeah. I mean, I asked her. I was like, there are some I asked if she wanted to see the first draft, the second draft, the third draft, fourth draft, fifth draft. She didn't want to see it. And I'm like, Ma, like, don't you want to? I interviewed her. I asked her for her memory of some things that went down because my mom was deeply depressed during like the heyday of my career.

And that was really hard for me as a only child and somebody who felt the weight of her. sadness and her struggles. And I felt really alone in that. But I wanted to find a respectful way to talk about how it affected me while also understanding that it was just as much her story as mine. So trying to find that way to do it.