Photo Content from Jacque Aye
Jacque Aye is a therapist-in-training and “Head Magical Girl” of the Adorned by Chi lifestyle brand, Since launching Adorned by Chi in 2015 Jacque has grown her business tremendously, racking in 6-figure sales within the first two years of operation and a development deal within the first five. Adorned by Chi has also worked with the likes of Sanrio, collaborating on a collection for their Small Business, Big Smile initiative. As a leader in the manga and anime space, Jacque has grown her small tight knit community into one that boasts over 100,000 magical beings across social media. She is a vocal supporter of mental health awareness and self care amongst Black women, and advocates for those suffering from social anxiety. In 2020, Adorned by Chi was able to donate $10,000 to the Loveland Foundation.
The greatest thing you learned in school.
The greatest thing school taught me was that a failure doesn’t mean you won’t succeed.
Who or what has influenced your writing, and in what way?
I’m influenced by the writers I grew up reading: Terry Pratchett, Douglas Adams, and Neil Gaiman. You wouldn’t think so, considering I wrote a pink-tinted, magical girl-inspired self-help book but I definitely get my sense of dark-ish humor and writing style from them.
Why is storytelling so important for all of us?
Stories are historical archives of sorts. They freeze time and reflect on what was happening in the moment of time they were written. Even if they’re set in the future or past. I think storytelling gives us perspective, teaches lessons, and is a bit of an escape from reality.
Beyond your own work (of course), what is your all-time favorite book?
It’s a tie between Good Omens and House of the Scorpion.
What are some of your current and future projects that you can share with us?
They’re all secret, ha!
In your newest book; THE MAGICAL GIRL'S GUIDE TO LIFE, can you tell my Book Nerd community a little about it.
The Magical Girl’s Guide to Life is a handbook for grown-up magical beings looking to inject a bit of magic into their mundane lives. The book has embarrassing personal stories of mine, but most importantly, there are worksheets and guidance for glowing up when the world around you feels drab.
What do you hope for readers to be thinking when they read your novel?
I hope they walk away thinking “well, that was fun” but also with a sense of optimism.
What part of your characters did you enjoy writing the most?
No characters in my book. It’s just myself and the reader.
Where did you go on your first airplane ride?
Nigeria.
What decade during the last century would you have chosen to be a kid?
As a Black woman, there’s really no preferential decade. So I’d definitely choose the one I already grew up in.
Name one thing you miss about being a kid.
I miss seeing adulthood as this Valhalla for humans. Now, I know the reality of it all. And it’s still magical…just a lot less impressive than what I imagined, ha!
What is your greatest adventure?
Writing this book :)
What was your favorite book as a child and why?
House of the Scorpion. It was the first book I read that made me cry and showed me that nothing is all black or all white–everyone has a bit of greyness in them.
TEN REASONS TO READ THE MAGICAL GIRL'S GUIDE TO LIFE
- It’s funny.
- There are plenty of cartoon references.
- It’s wonderfully whimsical.
- It’s not to be taken too seriously…yet it is.
- You’ll walk away with magic powers
- If you love Sailor Moon and other magical girl shows, you’ll love this book
- There’s an amazing playlist that accompanies the book
- I discuss topics that are still considered taboo in my community.
- There are quizzes!
- My dog helped me write it.
The idea for this book was actually not mine. It was Casie Vogel from Ulysses Press who conceptualized The Magical Girl’s Guide to Life and she asked me to write it after meeting at the Las Vegas Licensing Expo. Of course, I enthusiastically obliged!
The writing process was smooth and easy. I didn’t have much trouble. I met my deadlines and I had fun watching cartoons every day for weeks while I wrote. My family and friends didn’t think anything of it because I’m always writing, ha. But they did help keep me accountable!
Transform into your most magical self with this one-of-a-kind, manga inspired self-care guide designed to help you discover and harness your inner power- anime style!
Inspired by the wand-wielding, crime-fighting magical girls in your favorite animes and mangas, The Magical Girl’s Guide to Life teaches you how your self-care journey starts by uncovering the magical girl within.
With fun exercises, journal prompts, and personality tests, you’ll quickly learn everything you need to know about your magical girl self, including your magical girl name, what type of power you possess, and what cute companion will perfectly complement your magical girl journey. Once your magical girl identity is locked in, you’ll learn how to take on the world and continue your self-growth by:
Discovering your magical girl gang Punching fear in the face/defining your monster Developing your magical girl beauty routine Finding love after fighting crime And more!
With gorgeous illustrations and entertaining animated characters, The Magical Girl’s Guide to Life reveals how self-love, sisterhood, and magic go together. Perfect for fans of anime and manga like Sailor Moon, Cardcaptor Sakura, and more!
You can purchase The Magical Girl's Guide to Life at the following Retailers:
1 Winner will receive a Copy of The Magical Girl's Guide to Life by Jacque Aye.
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ReplyDeleteBabysitting a friend's pet.
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ReplyDeleteDelivering newspapers, as soon as I was old enough to qualify for the job.
ReplyDeleteBabysitting and then wrapping gifts and shipping at a large department store!
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