Author: Jessie
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A Timeline of Hope and Suffering: Author Edition
I have my first book from a major publisher coming out in July. It is a board book. Four months out, and the final PDF is going to the printers today. This is a time of joy. But also, a time of reflection. How did we finally get here? The publishing process changes by the Read more
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Reading is not Dead
Standing in a line that wraps around the hall six times, waiting for the chance to see John Green speak, doesn’t surprise me, but it may surprise some people. I keep hearing and reading about how people no longer read. My teacher friends are hardly allowed to assign full books to their students. But as Read more
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Stories That Matter
Today I went to the Nova Exhibition that is visiting DC for the next few weeks. The exhibition is an in-depth remembrance of the massacre that took place at the Nova Music Festival on October 7, 2023. Nearly 400 young people were killed by terrorists, many more were injured, and over 40 were taken hostage. Read more
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Title: Author 🙌
This week I got paid for my writing. It was more than a $5 honorarium. It will not pay my rent for the month. I will have to save it to pay for food and essentials. But the top of the check did say “Author”. And after a hard few days, a lot of rain Read more
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Ace Education on Heartbreak
“I am what I am, an’ I’m not ashamed. ‘Never be ashamed,’ my ol’ dad used ter say, ‘there’s some who’ll hold it against you, but they’re not worth botherin’ with,’” – Hagrid, “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” Today is International Asexuality Day. The first was celebrated in 2021. The goals of the day Read more
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Bring Them Home Now
I am a twin. I am one of four siblings. Gali and Ziv Berman are twins. They are from a family of four siblings. They are still, 545 days after October 7, held hostage in Gaza. They were kidnapped from their Kibbutz where Keith and Aviva Siegel were also taken hostage. Keith and Aviva, who Read more
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Treat Yo Self
Maybe you got one card and went to one dinner with one person. I’m sure it was a spectacular Valentine’s Day. But (shockingly) I enjoyed mine too. I bought myself (and a friend) themed cupcakes and cookies. We had dinner together. I got absolutely fabulous messages from three close (but geographically distant friends), a facetime Read more
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A Depressing Three-peat
I have been in the DMV for the past three inaugurations and have attended none. In 2016 I arrived a day ahead of The Women’s March to see oddly silent and empty streets. In 2020 Covid kept crowds home after the unthinkable request that people not attend ceremonies since it was a pandemic. Today the Read more
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You Gotta Believe
I have taken a day to grieve because it has been nine years since a World Series appearance, and my whole lifetime, and then some since a World Series win. But I can now say that this was the definition of a Mets season and the reason baseball is (in my opinion) the best sport Read more
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In the New Year 5785
A year ago today I was awake at 2 am when news started appearing on my social feeds about October 7th and what was happening in Israel. I was awake at 2 am because I was on a girls’ trip weekend with my best lifelong friends. In 365 days two of those women have since Read more