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Keisha the Sket author says she felt shame at her viral story | Keisha the Sket author says she felt shame at her viral story |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Jade LB's not ready to fully reveal her identity - but she's opened up about her book | Jade LB's not ready to fully reveal her identity - but she's opened up about her book |
When Jade LB was given a laptop for her 13th birthday, she sat in her home in Hackney, north-east London, and began writing a story. Her main character was 17-year-old Keisha, a black girl from inner city London whose life was full of sex, violence and alcoholism. | When Jade LB was given a laptop for her 13th birthday, she sat in her home in Hackney, north-east London, and began writing a story. Her main character was 17-year-old Keisha, a black girl from inner city London whose life was full of sex, violence and alcoholism. |
It was 2005 and Jade didn't have internet at home, so at first the story of "Keisha the Sket" lay dormant on her laptop's notes page. | It was 2005 and Jade didn't have internet at home, so at first the story of "Keisha the Sket" lay dormant on her laptop's notes page. |
A year later, she posted chapters on social media site Piczo. | A year later, she posted chapters on social media site Piczo. |
The story - written almost entirely in text speak and London slang - began to gain traction. | The story - written almost entirely in text speak and London slang - began to gain traction. |
In lunch breaks at school, pupils with enough credit on their phone would pass chapters on to one another. | In lunch breaks at school, pupils with enough credit on their phone would pass chapters on to one another. |
The story was sent from friendship group to friendship group via BlackBerry messenger, Bluetooth, and MSN, across London and beyond. | The story was sent from friendship group to friendship group via BlackBerry messenger, Bluetooth, and MSN, across London and beyond. |
Before the age of shares, likes, and retweets, Keisha's story had gone viral. | Before the age of shares, likes, and retweets, Keisha's story had gone viral. |
'It went against the grain' | 'It went against the grain' |
The appetite for new chapters of the story was so big, Jade says she even received "threatening messages" hurrying her to post the next part. | The appetite for new chapters of the story was so big, Jade says she even received "threatening messages" hurrying her to post the next part. |
Now, it's a fully formed book, being published by Stormzy's branch of Penguin Random House, Merky Books. | Now, it's a fully formed book, being published by Stormzy's branch of Penguin Random House, Merky Books. |
Jade's always kept her identity private but for the first time, she's spoken out about what the writing process was like. | Jade's always kept her identity private but for the first time, she's spoken out about what the writing process was like. |
I've only read 3 books in my life Keisha Da Sket, Of Mice And Men and the Argos Catalogue | I've only read 3 books in my life Keisha Da Sket, Of Mice And Men and the Argos Catalogue |
An installation of Keisha Da Sket on a Nokia 6230i screen needs to be in the British Museum | An installation of Keisha Da Sket on a Nokia 6230i screen needs to be in the British Museum |
Jade tells Radio 1 Newsbeat the honest way she wrote about women's sexuality "went against the grain". | Jade tells Radio 1 Newsbeat the honest way she wrote about women's sexuality "went against the grain". |
"It went against what young boys at the time were learning - they were learning that girls aren't sexual." | "It went against what young boys at the time were learning - they were learning that girls aren't sexual." |
The story describes Keisha's first sexual encounters in graphic detail. | The story describes Keisha's first sexual encounters in graphic detail. |
It tells of her inner turmoil at developing a sexual appetite, but not wanting to appear a "sket" - a slang word for a promiscuous woman - among boys in her area. | |
Jade says she was writing about "a world [she] was observing". | Jade says she was writing about "a world [she] was observing". |
'I felt shame' | 'I felt shame' |
But as the story reached more people, Jade became more and more concerned about what's she'd written. | But as the story reached more people, Jade became more and more concerned about what's she'd written. |
"I really felt shame," she says. | "I really felt shame," she says. |
"Particularly with guys, I thought 'Oh my god, you know, I've written about sex'. | "Particularly with guys, I thought 'Oh my god, you know, I've written about sex'. |
"[Keisha] is considered promiscuous. I presumed it would [appear to be] a reflection of me, and it would be a lot of work to persuade someone otherwise." | "[Keisha] is considered promiscuous. I presumed it would [appear to be] a reflection of me, and it would be a lot of work to persuade someone otherwise." |
Jade stopped telling anyone that she was the writer, and hoped nobody else would bring it up. | Jade stopped telling anyone that she was the writer, and hoped nobody else would bring it up. |
But over the past decade, conversation on social media has sporadically turned to the legendary story. | But over the past decade, conversation on social media has sporadically turned to the legendary story. |
And Jade would get messages from friends from time to time to tell her that her character was, yet again, trending on Twitter. | And Jade would get messages from friends from time to time to tell her that her character was, yet again, trending on Twitter. |
She continued to keep a low profile while people online pondered who was behind their favourite nostalgic story. | She continued to keep a low profile while people online pondered who was behind their favourite nostalgic story. |
‘Keisha the sket’ is a legendary London hood story that deserves a series | ‘Keisha the sket’ is a legendary London hood story that deserves a series |
The writer of Keisha Da Sket needs to come forward and get herself a movie deal though. For the Culture. | The writer of Keisha Da Sket needs to come forward and get herself a movie deal though. For the Culture. |
TL to TL, who actually wrote Keisha da Sket? | TL to TL, who actually wrote Keisha da Sket? |
As Jade got older, she started going to therapy. | As Jade got older, she started going to therapy. |
There, she explored why she had supressed her link to the story for so long. | There, she explored why she had supressed her link to the story for so long. |
'It's a time capsule' | 'It's a time capsule' |
Jade still wants to keep some anonymity about who she is | Jade still wants to keep some anonymity about who she is |
In the end, she decided she was ready to come back to it. | In the end, she decided she was ready to come back to it. |
And she wasn't short of offers. | And she wasn't short of offers. |
The book has now been published by Merky Books. | The book has now been published by Merky Books. |
It comprises of a reflective author's note, the original script in text speak from 2005, and a rewrite in standard English. | It comprises of a reflective author's note, the original script in text speak from 2005, and a rewrite in standard English. |
Jade says: "I wanted to leave it raw as it was, because it's a time capsule. It's got nostalgic value." | Jade says: "I wanted to leave it raw as it was, because it's a time capsule. It's got nostalgic value." |
She hopes publishing both versions of the book will make it "able to be accessed by way more people". | She hopes publishing both versions of the book will make it "able to be accessed by way more people". |
Jade wrote the original story in the era of text slang, when everyone used as few characters as possible to keep phone credit costs down | Jade wrote the original story in the era of text slang, when everyone used as few characters as possible to keep phone credit costs down |
Reading back some of the scenes made Jade "really stunned by [by her] apparent savviness". | Reading back some of the scenes made Jade "really stunned by [by her] apparent savviness". |
"After the gang assault, Keisha effectively goes back to some semblance of normalcy," Jade writes in the prologue. | "After the gang assault, Keisha effectively goes back to some semblance of normalcy," Jade writes in the prologue. |
"At the time, I didn't feel very hyper aware of these things." | "At the time, I didn't feel very hyper aware of these things." |
Jade says the reason she kept the plot line the same is because it draws on real experiences of young black women. | Jade says the reason she kept the plot line the same is because it draws on real experiences of young black women. |
"That's the truth, and that's what happens. Girls that look like me and Keisha bury violations and move on." | "That's the truth, and that's what happens. Girls that look like me and Keisha bury violations and move on." |
'Understanding stories invokes empathy' | 'Understanding stories invokes empathy' |
Over the past 10 years, Jade has gained two degrees and worked with young women at risk of sexual exploitation. | Over the past 10 years, Jade has gained two degrees and worked with young women at risk of sexual exploitation. |
She currently teaches African politics part-time at a London university. | She currently teaches African politics part-time at a London university. |
"I've got a very different understanding of the world of my own girlhood, of girlhood more generally, I've had so many different experiences. | "I've got a very different understanding of the world of my own girlhood, of girlhood more generally, I've had so many different experiences. |
"I thought it was important to retell the story and add some layer and texture. I wrote some things out from under my skin." | "I thought it was important to retell the story and add some layer and texture. I wrote some things out from under my skin." |
Jade says she's an "advocate" for telling stories from "marginalised communities", something Merky Books prides itself on. | Jade says she's an "advocate" for telling stories from "marginalised communities", something Merky Books prides itself on. |
She says: "There is a way in which understanding people and understanding people's stories and where they come from invokes empathy." | She says: "There is a way in which understanding people and understanding people's stories and where they come from invokes empathy." |
Follow Newsbeat on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. | Follow Newsbeat on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. |
Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here. | Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here. |