Photo: JJ Winston: Championing mental health and societal awareness through fiction that inspires, educates, and empowers readers to reflect and take action.
Raising Awareness Through Compelling Narratives
JJ Winston, a social worker and magistrate, blends her professional and personal experiences to create fiction addressing mental health, human trafficking, and sickle cell disease, sparking awareness and meaningful conversations.
JJ Winston stands as an author uniquely blending storytelling with advocacy, crafting novels that address pressing societal challenges while deeply resonating with readers. Her books—most notably her award-winning debut The Anniversary and her most recent release, The Revelation—shine a spotlight on complex issues such as mental health, human trafficking, and sickle cell disease, all woven into engaging, emotionally charged narratives. Through her writing, Winston merges her professional expertise as a Licensed Independent Social Worker, attorney, and Family Court Magistrate with personal experiences, creating works that are informative, thought-provoking, and impactful.
In a recent interview with Mosaic Digest, Winston shared insights into her creative process and the motivations driving her work. Drawing from years of experience working closely with behavioural health cases and legal matters, her novels go beyond fiction, inviting readers to confront and explore the realities behind the challenges faced by countless individuals. Her writing is deeply rooted in advocacy, striving to amplify voices often overshadowed by stigma and misunderstanding, helping readers see the humanity behind the struggles.
JJ Winston masterfully weaves advocacy into fiction, raising awareness of vital societal issues with heartfelt and thought-provoking storytelling.
Before becoming a Family Court Magistrate, Winston worked as a Client Rights Officer for a local Alcohol, Drug and Mental Health Board. In this role, she encountered many individuals living with behavioural health conditions who often felt voiceless. Her experiences ignited a personal conviction and a mission: to shed light on these matters and give visibility to those rarely heard. “Many of my clients were intelligent, brilliant individuals who often felt voiceless,” Winston recalls. “I want to use my writing to help those living with behavioural health issues feel heard and to humanise individuals, reminding the world that behavioural health is health care too.”
“Behavioural health is health care too!” – JJ Winston
Winston’s novels not only tell compelling stories but also serve as tools to foster understanding and advocacy. Her Anniversary series is accompanied by a workbook designed to assist readers in navigating behavioural health challenges. The reception to the workbook has surpassed her expectations. “Several behavioural health agencies in my community have purchased the workbook for their staff,” Winston shares, “and the staff have reported that it has helped them make the complicated journey of behavioural health more understandable for laypeople.”
Beyond her professional career, Winston’s personal experiences also shape her work. Sickle cell awareness has become a deeply important cause for her, informed by her family’s connection to the disease. She explains, “I have a child who lives with SCD. Additionally, I lost my father, two paternal aunts, and one paternal uncle to this genetic disease. I realised that many people are not aware there are several forms of SCD, and I wanted to use my writing to shine a light on this important subject.”
Human trafficking is another prevalent issue Winston addresses in her novels, inspired by the troubling realities she has encountered in her community. “As a behavioural health professional with vast experience, I was shocked at how prevalent human trafficking is in my community. I reside in the State of Ohio which has the fourth-highest human trafficking numbers in the United States,” Winston explains. Through her fiction, she integrates this issue to raise awareness and inspire advocacy for change.
Her latest novel, The Revelation, combines these themes with the added pressures of a global pandemic, exploring how illness and uncertainty impact family dynamics and individual resilience. “During the pandemic, some of our family members and friends developed behavioural health issues due to the isolation that came with living during this uncertain time,” Winston notes. “I weaved what was happening in our world with my characters because I want my readers to see themselves in my words, and I wanted to show that life is not just black and white but a curious colour of grey.”
Across her Anniversary series, Winston’s protagonists, Juliette and Grandville, tackle trauma, legal battles, and revelations about human trafficking. Through their journey, they embody themes of perseverance and personal growth. By the conclusion of The Revelation, Winston says her characters arrive at a greater understanding, underscoring her belief in resilience and self-compassion. “No matter who you are, you will experience good times and bad times,” she reflects. “There will be moments when you have to offer forgiveness, compassion, and grace for your own mental health. I believe [my characters] have learned many life lessons, and it’s my hope the messages I expound will resonate with my readers.”
As Winston bids farewell to her Anniversary series, she is already envisioning what comes next. Drawing inspiration from her current role in Family Court, she sees the potential to explore the mental and emotional toll of divorce and family breakdowns. However, for now, her focus remains on ensuring her current works continue to spark conversations and advocate for meaningful change.
JJ Winston’s storytelling reminds us of the power fiction holds not only to entertain but to inform and inspire. Her commitment to raising awareness about behavioural health and other critical issues is a testament to her belief in literature as a vehicle for change. Originally featured in Mosaic Digest, her interview highlights the driving forces behind her work and the transformative impact her novels are having on readers and communities alike. By championing the stories of those often overlooked, Winston’s work challenges preconceptions and cultivates a wider understanding of resilience, compassion, and the human experience.
