Rites of Passage by Joy Hensley
After reading Pen & Ink: Tattoos and the Stories Behind Them, we quickly realized that tattoos are never just an image printed on your skin. Whether sentimental or quirky, tattoos are an expression of self that always tells a unique story. In our monthly column, Personal Ink, we explore tattoos belonging to writers and illustrators, giving you a unique insight into the stories behind the art on their skin.
For June, we’re featuring young adult author Joy N. Hensley. Hensley is the author of Rites of Passage, published by Harper Teen in 2014. Her novel follows Sam McKenna, a 16-year-old who’s determined to be the first girl to graduate from the elite Denmark military school. Called an “absorbing read” and “absolutely compelling,” by Kirkus, Rites of Passage is a story of courage and determination that you won’t want to miss.
And Hensley knows a little something about determination. Here’s the story behind her wrist tattoo for proof:
Don’t tell my mom, but I got my first tattoo while drunk slightly buzzed with my Marine boyfriend on a trip to the beach. It’s a semi-circle of dolphins on my left ankle. I love dolphins and we still had two hours before our movie started. I was 20 and rebellious.
It was perfect.
Until I realized it was the logo for a popular brand of wave riding vehicle that I had never ridden.
I got so sick of all the questions (I live in the mountains) that I vowed I would never get a tattoo that didn’t mean anything again.
Fast forward 12 years to when I was 32. I’d been writing seriously for about seven years, hoping to break into the publishing world. I’d written three books and had enough rejections to wallpaper my entire house. When the call finally came and I signed my book contract, I knew the first thing I wanted to do was get a tattoo.
I’d dreamed of being a writer since I was 8 years old. A writing tattoo was something I could get behind, even if my mom (still) couldn’t. I designed this one myself, putting careful thought into the words, the fonts, and the pictures. At the time, I was still teaching, so I knew it needed to be something school-appropriate that could also be a message for my students. [A tattoo] about never giving up, even though times seem hard. About never giving up, even when things seem impossible.
Because the truth is—nothing is impossible. Living my dream is proof of that. It’s a message my students, and the students I get to visit with as a writer need to know and understand in their heart of hearts.
For a lot of people, that’s easy to forget. For me, I’ve got a reminder, on my right wrist, for those times when I just might be on the verge of giving up.
I see my tattoo.
And I try. Just once more.
Just a little bit harder.
Because eventually, after all the pain, sweat, and tears, the impossible becomes possible. And we finally get a chance to fly.
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