On Wednesday, November 12, 6 authors will gather at Indy Reads Books as part of The Downtown Writers Jam, Vol. 2 hosted by The Geeky Press. We’re currently curating those authors, and taking recommendations from friends, colleagues, and other people involved in the Indiana writing scene. Don’t wait to be nominated, though. You can submit your work for consideration.
Meanwhile, we wanted to introduce you to our fourth brave author: Angela Jackson-Brown.
Angela Jackson-Brown is a writer and poet who teaches Creative Writing and English at Ball State University in Muncie, IN. She is a graduate of Troy State University, Auburn University and Spalding University. Her work has appeared in literary journals, such as: Pet Milk, Uptown Mosaic Magazine, New Southerner Literary Magazine, The Louisville Review, Muscadine Lines: A Southern Journal, Blue Lake Review, Identity Theory, Toe Good Poetry, and 94 Creations.
Her short story, “Something in the Wash,” was awarded the 2009 fiction prize by New Southerner Literary Magazine and was nominated for a Pushcart Prize in Fiction. Her debut novel, Drinking from a Bitter Cup, was published by WiDo Publishing in 2014. She is currently working on her second novel.
You can find out more about Angela on her website, her Facebook page, or follow her on Twitter.
At The Downtown Writers Jam
What’s the name of the piece from which your DWJ story comes? “Serving Up Smiles”
What was the question or idea that sparked that original piece? My daddy used to work parties for wealthy white people back in the day, and he talked about how difficult it was to shift from his private face to his public face when he would go from the kitchen to the party areas. From his stories came my idea to create a character, Carolee, who was struggling with the same issue.
Where can people find or buy your work? Find her first book, Drinking from a Bitter Cup, at Amazon.
What should the audience expect from your storytelling at the Downtown Writers Jam? They should expect to see a transformation. When I give public readings, I cease to exist and my characters take over. So, when I begin to tell them the story of Coralee, Angela will disappear, right before their very eyes and young Coralee will grace them with her presence.
Get to Reading
Best book or long-form writing we should read, but probably haven’t? And why? Drinking from a Bitter Cup. I poured my soul into this novel. There is no emotion that I didn’t draw upon to write this book. I left everything on the page and as a result, I created memorable characters who will stay in the minds of the readers long after they’ve read the final word. Drinking from a Bitter Cup is the story of Sylvia Butler, a young girl who survives the death of her mentally ill mother and the loss of her innocence, yet, through it all, Sylvia never gives up.
You are fast! Thank you for getting the information up in such a hurry, and thank you for the invitation to participate in the Jam. I’m looking forward to it and meeting you and all of the other fantastic writers.
The Jam and The Geeky Press are my personal projects (and I have a wife who supports my literary habits) so it’s easy to spend all day working on them. More importantly, we’re excited to have you. Vol. 2 is shaping up to be a powerhouse of literary storytelling. I can’t wait.