Content warning: This story discusses sexualized violence. 

Abbotsford author Jay Lang is publishing her latest book One Take Jake in August.

The novel centers around the main character Lance, a guitarist seeking revenge against a band that sexually assaulted his sister. Lang, who often takes inspiration from local events in society and Canadian culture, drew on her own life as a costume designer for rock bands, and as an actor working on TV and film sets. But it was a news story of Lower Mainland based band Hedley’s lead singer sexually assaulting fans that sparked her interest in her latest book’s setting and story.

“I was watching this news brief that came up about, unfortunately, one of our people here in Canada. They were musicians and they had drugged and raped young girls. It was just terrible. I wanted to write my next book and I didn't, I was never thinking of writing about this, but I couldn't shake it,” Lang says. “I was so angry and passionate that I couldn't get past it. So I decided to write one take Jake about it.”

As part of her research, Lang interviewed a variety of notable artists on their experiences and thoughts on sexual violence in the music industry.

“Everybody I chose were respectable artists and they were sick of this happening in the industry,” Lang says. “They wrote quotes and their opinions and how they feel about this happening in their industry that's casting a dark shadow over the entire music industry as a whole.”

One Take Jake is set to release in August on both digital and in-print copies. One Take Jake is Lang's twelfth novel in four years. Her first published novel is Hush. Lang often pulls her story's plot lines from local cultural events around Western Canada.

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