CONTRIBUTOR SPOTLIGHT:
Interview with Faith Thiebaud

Rappahannock Review Fiction Editors: Wow. Dark! “Junebug” was difficult for even our seasoned editors to get through, indicative of a piece that really punches through. How was the process of formulating this macabre narrative?

Faith Thiebaud: Yes! Definitely dark—part of the reason it has taken so long to get published, ha. I actually first drafted this short story in a creative writing class in undergrad. I am a poet, and it was my first time writing a piece of fiction. I remember being nervous and thinking there was no way I could write eight pages of a story. So, like most authors, I borrowed inspiration from life, and when I started, the character of Junebug just started flowing out of me. Obviously, it has been through edits since its first draft in 2021, but the characterization of Junebug never changed. This story made me believe that maybe I could be successful at more than poetry. 

RR: The tracking of mental illness and its growing severity when left untreated is incredibly believable. Is this the result of research, personal experience, or a combination of both?

FT: It is the result of personal experience for sure–both mine and those around me. Sadly we live in a world where stuff like this happens all the time, and I think we have become almost desensitized in a way. I wanted this story to show the ugly side of CSA. Just like with any other mental health issue, there is support until it’s “too much.” People love supporting victims of CSA until they see the darker side effects of this trauma such as obsession. In the story, Junebug knows she should hate Craig—but the inner child in her still craves that attention he gave her. 

RR: Every good story contains a message. We’ve parsed our own, but if you had to put it into one sentence, what would you say the throughline of Junebug is?

FT: On the surface, Junebug provides awareness to the issue of CSA and highlights that often, the offender is someone you know. However, on a deeper level, it highlights the darker side of recovery. Many individuals go through CSA, and the repercussions last a lifetime. A lot of people do not like to talk about the more “embarrassing” trauma responses like obsession and romanticizing. I feel like this story shows a more realistic side to healing.

RR: Junebug is certainly a cute nickname—disarming the reader before engaging with its context. Was it what you came up with before or after writing the story behind it?

FT: Haha I love this question! I have always loved the name June, and the nickname Junebug. I think as an author I just had to name a character, and chose a name I have always loved. When it came to titling the piece, I had no idea what to do. But then, when writing, I came up with the idea.