Anthem for Jackson Dawes (20 page)

‘Jackson,' Megan began, as if there was a long, long story to tell. ‘He was called Jackson Dawes.'

 

Jackson Dawes, he's as tall as doors,
standing in his battered old hat,
singing his battered old songs,
slapping his fingers down the length of the stand
like an upright bass.
Badum, dum, dum, dum; badum, dum, dum, dum.
His hips swing gently,
his head nods,
his smile is wide,
big as the sun,
as if this is just any other day,
as if the world can't get any better,
as if the future is brighter than stars.

What inspired me to write this book? That's such a hard question to answer. As for pinpointing the exact date or time when the inspiration came, I can't do it. I don't know if I was sitting on a bus or a train, or just staring out of a window at home. I don't know if I saw a picture, or watched a film or read a book, or just gazed out into space instead of working. I certainly wasn't sitting in a children's cancer ward and I'm fairly sure that a sudden light did not flick on in my head. My brain doesn't work like that.

The story emerged, is all I can say, from a whole series of stories swimming around inside me. It floated to the top sometimes, then drifted away again like some kind of mysterious fish. Perhaps it would never have been caught and the story never written if it wasn't for some very good people who said,
That's the story you want. That one there, about a girl and a boy who meet in hospital
.

Thank goodness for those people, because they were right. I know about hospitals, having worked in
them. I know about young people because once I was one and still remember how hard it can be sometimes. I know about illness and how it can affect a person. And writing about the things you know is usually the best place to start.

But I didn't want the story to be confined to two young people being stuck on a children's ward. I couldn't just write about Megan and Jackson, when they had mums and dads and friends who were all affected by their being in hospital. I couldn't just write about how Megan and Jackson felt, which was pretty bad at times, without thinking through and exploring how their families and friends felt, which was also pretty bad.

We all feel stranded sometimes, like travellers washed up on an island with no hope of getting off. Sometimes we forget that there are people who love us and care about us and will try all they can to help. Sometimes we forget that we are stronger than we know. I think Megan and Jackson were much stronger than they knew.

Perhaps they inspired me.

Yes. I think that may be the answer.

Celia Bryce

With grateful thanks to: Sam Smith, Teenage Cancer Trust Nurse Consultant (The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester), who read various extracts of the book, and advised on medical and nursing procedures. Sandra Barlow, Senior Sister (Teenage Cancer Unit, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle), who showed me around the amazing unit on Tyneside. Doctor Kate Hodges, Doctor Steve Hodges and Nurse Paul Heslop, who helped me with various other hospital details. My very good writing friends, Sonia Royal, Dorothy Brownlee and Michael Doolan, who read my manuscript and gave their valuable opinions and critical analysis. Young friends and relations, Sara Bradshaw, Amy Brown, Kate Hudson, Lucy Hudson and Kate Walmsley, who took the time, over the years it has taken to write this book, to read one or more of its many drafts and to give me their thoughts on the story. Members of the Marsden Writers' Group, who have patiently followed every step of this amazing writing journey. Helen Corner and Kathryn Price, at Cornerstones Literary Consultancy, who gave me superb editorial advice when the story was still very new and needed lots of rewriting. James Catchpole, at the Celia Catchpole Literary Agency, who had enough faith in Megan and Jackson's story to take me on and who then worked tirelessly at finding me a publisher. Emma Matthewson and the editing staff at Bloomsbury, who have worked with me over the last eighteen months, fine-tuning and polishing my manuscript, turning it into a book I can be proud of and making me a very happy writer indeed. My husband, Colin, and daughters, Lucy and Kate, who have given me their unwavering support and who, I know, will always share my writing dream. And finally, very special and heartfelt thanks to the families of Deanna and Vaila, who kindly allowed me to dedicate this book to them.

Copyright © 2013 by Celia Bryce

First published in the United States of America in 2013
by Bloomsbury Books for Young Readers
E-book edition published in April 2013
www.bloomsbury.com

For information about permission to reproduce selections from his book, write to Permissions, Walker BFYR, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10010

All rights reserved
You may not copy, distribute, transmit, reproduce or otherwise make available this publication (or any part of it) in any form, or by any means (including without limitation electronic, digital, optical, mechanical, photocopying, printing, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the publisher. Any person who does any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Bryce, Celia.
Anthem for Jackson Dawes / by Celia Bryce. —1st U.S. ed.
p. cm.
Summary: When Megan, thirteen, arrives for her first cancer treatment, she is frustrated
to be on the pediatric unit where the only other teen is Jackson Dawes, who is as cute and
charming as he is rebellious and annoying, and who helps when her friends are frightened
away by her illness.
[1. Cancer—Fiction. 2. Hospitals—Fiction. 3. Medical care—Fiction. 4. Friendship—Fiction.
5. Family life—Fiction.] I. Title.
PZ7.B8427Ant 2013     [Fic]—dc23         2012024989

eISBN: 978-1-6196-3068-0 (e-book)