Picture a Canadian storyteller who weaves dreams, grief, and Cree culture into a spine-chilling yet heartfelt tale—meet Jessica Johns! A nehiyaw aunty from the Sucker Creek First Nation in Treaty 8 territory, Johns burst onto the literary scene with her debut novel, Bad Cree, a haunting blend of horror, family, and Indigenous storytelling that’s captivated readers worldwide.
With her unique voice, Johns crafts narratives that bridge the supernatural and the deeply personal, drawing from her rich heritage and interdisciplinary artistry. Whether it’s poetry, fiction, or visual art, she’s a creator who invites us into worlds where crows carry secrets and family ties heal old wounds.
The Making of Jessica Johns
Born and raised in Northern Alberta’s Treaty 8 territory, Jessica Johns grew up steeped in the traditions of the Sucker Creek First Nation. Her nehiyaw and English-Irish ancestry shapes her storytelling, blending Indigenous wisdom with contemporary flair. As a teen, she spent two years in Adelaide, Australia, before returning to Canada, where she majored in English at Grant MacEwan University and later earned an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of British Columbia.
Johns’s path to authorship wasn’t without rebellion. During her MFA, a professor advised against writing about dreams—an idea Johns rejected, given their sacred role in Cree culture. This sparked the creation of her award-winning short story “Bad Cree,” which later evolved into her debut novel. Her early works, from poetry to essays, appeared in literary magazines like Cosmonauts Avenue and The Fiddlehead, hinting at her rising star.
Jessica Johns’s Unforgettable Stories
Johns’s debut novel, Bad Cree (2023), is a masterwork of speculative horror and emotional depth. The story follows Mackenzie, a young Cree woman haunted by vivid nightmares that blur into reality, pulling her back to her Alberta hometown to face grief, a wheetigo (windigo), and her family’s trauma. Praised for its “visceral details” and “tactile, dreamy prose,” Bad Cree won the MacEwan Book of the Year and was shortlisted for the Amazon Canada First Novel Award.
Before Bad Cree, Johns published How Not to Spill (2018), a poetry collection exploring Cree culture and Indigenous futures. Her short story “Bad Cree” earned the 2020 Writers’ Trust Journey Prize, showcasing her knack for blending eerie atmospheres with heartfelt themes. Other works, like contributions to Best Canadian Essays 2019 and After Realism: 24 Stories for the 21st Century, highlight her versatility across genres.
Johns’s style is a mesmerizing mix of magical realism, horror, and cultural resonance. She weaves Cree traditions—like the power of dreams and community ties—into narratives that tackle generational trauma, colonialism, and resilience. Her prose is both poetic and grounded, making readers feel the chill of a wheetigo’s presence and the warmth of an auntie’s embrace.
Why Jessica Johns Matters
Jessica Johns is more than a writer—she’s a cultural force. Her work amplifies Indigenous voices, centering nehiyaw perspectives in a literary world often dominated by mainstream narratives. Bad Cree has resonated with readers for its authentic portrayal of Cree family dynamics and its unflinching look at the scars of colonialism, earning a spot on the 2024 CBC Canada Reads longlist.
As an interdisciplinary artist, Johns also contributes to the arts through visual work and editorial roles, like her position at Room Magazine and co-organizing the Indigenous Brilliance reading series. Her influence inspires emerging Indigenous writers, proving that stories rooted in culture and heart can captivate global audiences.
- Birthplace: Sucker Creek First Nation, Treaty 8, Northern Alberta
- Key Works: Bad Cree (2023), How Not to Spill (2018)
- Awards: 2020 Writers’ Trust Journey Prize, MacEwan Book of the Year
- Fun Fact: She brews kombucha as the founder of kokôm kombucha!
Snag Bad Cree and dive into Jessica Johns’s haunting, heartfelt world of Indigenous horror and healing!