Jessica Mann is the author of the new novel Uplift. She lives in Teton Valley, Idaho, and Ojai, California.
Q: What inspired you to write Uplift, and how did you create your character Columbina?
A: I’ve had a love for animals as long as I can remember. My mom and dad used to take our whole family out camping and hiking into the wilds of Wyoming every summer, and I grew to love wild places and things. So I knew I wanted to incorporate my love for nature into my next book.
But as I looked around, I noticed that most ecofiction books still had people as their narrators and main characters. Why was that, I wondered? As a naturalist and a writer, I knew there were plenty of other sentient beings in the world with stories to tell. What if people could see through their eyes?
Getting “inside the heads” of birds and other animals sounded like a fun, creative challenge to me! And if by giving nature a voice it helped people to have greater empathy and compassion for these creatures, so much the better.
How did I create Uplift’s hero, Columbina? Well, to start with I intentionally chose the Clark’s Nutcracker as her species. Nutcrackers are members of the corvid family of birds, living together in large family groups and among the most intelligent birds in the world — so I felt that people could relate to her and her family because of that.
But Columbina’s character really grew along the way! Born into a proud clan with ancient traditions, she was always independent and curious, even from a young age. Full of compassion and caring, as she matures she grows strong enough to challenge the intolerance and old ways of her patriarchal clan.
I came to be so fond of Columbina by the end that maybe there will have to be a sequel with her great-grandchildren… readers, your thoughts?
Q: How was the novel’s title chosen, and what does it signify for you?
A: I wrote Uplift as a book of hope, as a love letter to the Rocky Mountains and a reminder of all the beauty still present in the world. So the book’s title reflects all that, in addition to the obvious reference to birds and flight.
A note about hope… so many of us have felt sadness and grief for the natural world and all that has been lost over the years. But there is still so much here worth saving and fighting for!
So, at least for me, giving up hope is not an option. I try to seek out sources of positivity, working with local groups or reading about the many people out there working to make things better.
Can a little book like Uplift make a difference? If it can open eyes and help humans see that we are not so different from all the other nonhuman beings out there, then I hope so!
Q: The author Marc Bekoff called the book a “riveting must read for everyone who wants to know what birds are thinking and feeling from their point of view.” What do you think of that description?
A: I so admire Marc Bekoff and the incredible work he has done over a lifetime. He is truly a leader in the scientific study of animal hearts and minds, as well as being a dedicated champion for their compassionate treatment. So I was very honored to have earned those words of praise, and have him feature Uplift in Psychology Today online.
A big reason for his excitement about my book, he told me, was not only that it was written from the birds’ point of view, but also that the characters were based on the latest science.
He was right about that! As a naturalist, I felt it was important to have the characters be as realistic as possible and not just cartoonish (give or take some artistic license, of course).
I did an incredible amount of research to understand the life histories and senses for each of my characters’ species, and was able to put some of their real-life stories into the book. Bird funerals? Yup. Dragonflies with 360-degree eyesight? Yup. And so many more.
Q: What do you hope readers take away from the story?
A: I hope that my readers will feel transported high into the Rocky Mountains, living free as a wild bird. The book’s vivid imagery gives readers the vicarious thrill of “being there” amidst snowy peaks, sparkling lakes, and wildflower meadows. People tell me they forgot the book was about birds or trees, and instead just enjoyed it as a relatable story of family and friendship.
The phrases that seem to pop up frequently in my reader reviews: uplifted, enlightened, a new outlook, a new perspective about birds, a sense of wonder, see nature in a whole new way, relatable and inspiring, eyes opened.
So it seems that a good story can capture people’s imagination no matter what the species!
Q: What are you working on now?
A: It was so much fun getting inside the heads of animals and Uplift received such great response… that I’ve decided to keep it going! I am now at work on Book #2, Currents, set in the ocean and told through the eyes of a whale, octopus, and a host of other fascinating and intelligent sea creatures.
The full series is called The Habitat Trilogy, and will ultimately cover all life on Earth! Uplift was set in the air; Currents takes place in the sea; and the third book (not yet titled) will be on land. Hoping for a 2026 next release, so stay tuned!
Q: Anything else we should know?
A: Yes! Thinking it was time to reclaim the term “newsworthy,” I just kicked off a quarterly newsletter for readers called Uplifting News. Four times a year readers will receive a small dose of positive or hopeful news in their inbox — posts about nature, or encouraging news or research about birds and other creatures.
(Like, for example: did you know that a mystical harpy eagle, one of the largest birds of prey in the world and thought to be extinct, was recently found in Mexico? Or that marine biologists have identified varieties of heat tolerant coral, making replanting reefs a real possibility.)
If you’re interested, just go to my website and sign up! (www.jessicamann.org)
I do love to connect with readers and book clubs, so please drop me a line on my website or through my social accounts like Goodreads or LinkedIn.
And finally, I wanted to mention that I donate profits from my books to nonprofit groups working to protect birds and nature. They need all the help they can get these days, so the more books sold, the greater good it can do. Thanks for your support!
--Interview with Deborah Kalb
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