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There is No “Perfect Mother”
In Shaken, an exhausted and overwhelmed young mother gives in to the frustrations of raising a toddler and makes a regrettable decision that could change the course of her life. Where did the idea for this novel come from?
The idea came to me about 17 years ago when I saw a poster that said, “NEVER SHAKE A BABY” at the doctor’s office. At the time, I hadn’t heard of the Shaken Baby Syndrome (SSB) and found myself wondering, “Who would shake a baby?” But then I realized there had to be people out there who did, otherwise there wouldn’t be a whole campaign about it. I couldn’t help but think how horrible that would be — to lose control and hurt your baby like that. Later that afternoon, I wrote a scene where a young mother snaps and loses control, shaking her baby without realizing what she was doing. I didn’t know what to do with that character and scene at that point in time, so I shoved it aside to work on other things. When I needed something to present to my writing group in the summer of 2019, I dug out that chapter, read it to the group, and watched as everyone at the table exploded with extreme emotions: horror, shock, disgust, confusion, sympathy, and so on. I realized that if I could evoke such a wide range of reactions, this was a novel worth bringing into the world.
What was the inspiration for Sally’s traits and dialogue?
After I had my own kids, I went to various playgroups and parent-baby classes. There, I observed the put-together moms, the hot-mess moms, and everything in between. As hard as we moms all tried to do the best we could, I soon realized there’s no such thing as the “perfect mother” — you might have it under control one minute, then be a sobbing mess the next. I wanted to take the overwhelm that my mom friends (and myself) had felt during those early years and to amplify it to the extreme, showing how everything could change in one awful moment. Although nobody in my social circle ever abused their baby, plenty of moms expressed their frustrations and how close they got to “going over the edge.”
What are some things that you find interesting about the human condition that you think makes for great fiction?
I’m intrigued by those intense, dark moments in life where one bad thing happens, someone reacts to it and makes a bad decision, then another one, and before you know it, their whole life has come undone. Like in the movies when someone finds a bag full of millions of dollars hidden in the woods and they think they can get away with just keeping it, but it’s never that easy. And yet, you can’t help but wonder, “What would I do?” Would I go to the cops? Or keep the money?
With Shaken, I wanted people to really think about what would happen if they actually snapped and lost control — because, deep down, we all have the ability to lose control. Would you try to cover it up? Come forward and share the truth? Run away? What if Sally was your wife, sister, next door neighbor? What would YOU do? Although we tell ourselves we would make better choices if we found ourselves in the same exact situation, there’s no way to know for sure until it’s really happening to you.
What is the next book that you are working on, and when will it be available?
I’m currently revising a young adult mystery about a teen girl, Olivia, who believes her parents didn’t die in an accident but were in fact murdered. As her twin sister fights for her life in the hospital, Olivia rallies the help of two new friends to uncover the truth, but the more secrets they discover, the more Olivia begins to realize her own life might be in danger. This book has been through one round of beta reading with great feedback, so I’m working on fixing remaining plot holes and tightening things up. I hope it’ll be available sometime in 2026.
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Enter Alyssa, the teenage babysitter, who is left in charge the night after the incident. As Morgan’s condition deteriorates, Sally’s partner, Charles, grows increasingly concerned. A series of alarming doctors’ visits spiral into a nightmare when authorities are alerted and fingers start pointing at Alyssa. Will Sally come forward and risk losing everything, or will she try to maintain the illusion of being a perfect mother—even if it means someone else takes the blame?
Shaken explores the intense, often unspoken, struggles of new motherhood and the complexities of human fallibility, raising an unsettling question: Does one irreversible mistake define you forever?
Perfect for fans of Jodi Picoult, Lisa Jewell, and Freida McFadden.
Shaken
Jill Amber Chafin’s Shaken is an unsettling yet deeply human exploration of parental burnout, guilt, and the irreversible consequences of a single moment of lost control. The novel follows Sally, a young mother grappling with exhaustion and the relentless demands of raising a toddler, Morgan. Her mounting frustration culminates in a moment of violence—shaking her child in desperation—leading to a spiral of paranoia, self-recrimination, and a desperate attempt to hide the truth. Meanwhile, Charles, her husband, oblivious to the full extent of what has transpired, struggles with his own frustrations as a provider, balancing work and family life with increasing detachment. As Sally’s secret festers, the novel digs deep into the emotional and psychological turmoil of parenthood, revealing just how fragile the line is between loving care and overwhelming despair.
Chafin’s writing is unflinching and raw. She masterfully captures Sally’s descent into fear and guilt with a sharp, visceral intensity. The opening chapter is particularly haunting—Sally’s panic and the creeping realization of what she’s done is stomach-churning. The way Chafin builds tension is remarkable; every moment that follows is laced with dread, making it impossible to put the book down. The portrayal of a struggling mother losing her grip is uncomfortably real, and that’s what makes the book so powerful. It doesn’t shy away from the ugliness of exhaustion, the loneliness of motherhood, and the terrible things people are capable of when they are pushed to their breaking point.
Charles’s chapters provide a necessary contrast offering a glimpse of the “normal” world outside of Sally’s unraveling mind but at times, his storyline feels flat compared to the emotional hurricane Sally is experiencing. His dissatisfaction with his job, the flirtation with a co-worker, and his general cluelessness about Sally’s struggles feel almost too mundane next to the life-or-death stakes of her narrative. That said, his role as the unwitting husband makes the moments when he begins to sense something is deeply wrong all the more gripping. The way he questions Sally, the small details he notices but brushes off, add to the tension beautifully.
One of the novel’s most gut-wrenching strengths is how it forces the reader to empathize with someone who has done the unthinkable. It would be easy to condemn Sally, but Chafin doesn’t allow for simple judgments. Instead, she forces us to sit with her fear, her regret, and her suffocating love for Morgan. The scenes where she desperately tries to convince herself that everything is fine googling symptoms, forcing normalcy, and clinging to the hope that no permanent damage was done are some of the most emotionally brutal moments in the book. And then there’s Morgan himself, quiet and listless after the incident, a heartbreaking contrast to the wild, screaming child he was before. It’s devastating to watch Sally try to interact with him, begging for any sign of his usual energy, realizing in horror that something is profoundly different.
Shaken is not an easy read, but it’s an important one. It’s a book that will resonate deeply with parents, especially those who have ever felt overwhelmed, isolated, or teetering on the edge of control. It’s also a gripping psychological drama that will appeal to fans of dark, emotionally intense fiction. While it doesn’t offer easy answers or redemption, it does offer something more vital an unfiltered look at the messy, terrifying, and sometimes dangerous reality of being responsible for another life. If you’re looking for a book that will haunt you long after you’ve turned the last page, Shaken is a must-read.
Pages: 365 | ASIN : B0DPN2JJWP
LITERARY TITAN 