A Wished For Child

I’m pretty excited about today’s post! Mary’s name is one of my favorite Easter eggs in Allegedly! During edits, I actually debated with the copy editor over the following excerpt. The name Mary has several different meanings but this one fit the story best:

 

I thought it was very fitting to have Mary’s Momma, a deeply religious woman, name her after one of the most loyal women in the bible. Momma wished for the love of a child who would honor, remain faithful and obedient, just as Jesus expected from his followers.

 

But the REAL truth is: I named Mary after British child killer Mary Bell. In 1968, at age 10, Bell murdered two little boys and was convicted, spending twelve years in various prisons before being released at age 23 and went into hiding. British tabloids were obsessed with the story, publishing hundreds of speculative articles about her, even to this day.
While researching child murderers, I came across this story and found it fascinating that the legal system was baffled by Bell and had no clue what to do with her.
I also found it interesting that much has changed since then. Juvenile Justice system still has no clue what to do.

Author: Tiffany D. Jackson

Tiffany D. Jackson is a TV professional by day, novelist by night, awkward black girl 24/7. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Film from Howard University and her Master of Arts in Media Studies from The New School University. A Brooklyn native, she is a lover of naps, cookie dough, and beaches, currently residing in the borough she loves with her adorable chihuahua Oscar, most likely multitasking. Her debut novel, ALLEGEDLY is due January 24th, 2017 through Katherine Tegen Books, an imprint of Harper Collins.