Something Or Other Publishing is proud to introduce Jessica Parrish, an exciting rising writer and winner of the 2nd Prize in the Young Adult Category of our 1st Annual Short Story Contest.
Jessica Parrish, creative writer. (Jessica Parrish)
Jessica Parrish is a writer, a mother, and a lover of all things creative and mystical. Words are her love language. Whether immersing herself in writing or listening to an eclectic musical playlist at the top volume, you will always know exactly how she feels by what she is listening to or writing about. She is the run in the rain, stop and stare at the moon type of person.
Her award-winning story, Dulce, is part of an upcoming anthology from SOOP, currently titled SOOP’s Finest, becoming her first published piece. For Dulce, being a teenager meant nothing. Since she was little, it had always been just her and her mom. But, now that “He” was in the picture, their lives had changed, not for the better. So Dulce is left with the most challenging decision of her young life. Dulce knows what she wants, but will her mom make the right decision? Or will Dulce be left to make that choice for herself?
Jesus E. Bracho, SOOP’s Director of Marketing, sat down with Jessica to engage in a fun Q&A session to learn more about her:
JB: What inspired you to write “Dulce”?
JP: From a young age, I watched my mom go from this larger-than-life single mom to this broken, battered, abused woman who unfortunately didn’t survive the abusive lifestyle she was caught in.
JB: What was the most challenging part of writing the story?
JP:Â Reliving a lot of the raw emotions, anger, and fear I felt as a teen.
JB: What genres do you personally like to read?
JP: Spicey romance, hands down!
JB: Do you have any other writing projects in the works?
2st Prize in the Young Adult Category of SOOP’s 1st Annual Short Story Contest. (SOOP)
JP: I am working on my fifth adult/ women’s fiction novel with plans to self-publish in the (hopefully) near future. I even plan to self-publish a children’s book later this year.
JB: Who is your target audience?
JP: Honestly, anyone who feels like they didn’t or don’t have a voice. A lot of my writing focuses on trauma and healing, and I really love to challenge myself by writing from unique perspectives with non-typical heroines/ heroes, creating relatable, unforgettable characters that will, hopefully, connect to a wide audience.
JB: What do you hope readers take away from your story?
JP: That they are not alone, and even if things are not ideal, there’s always a way to get out. There’s always a way to beat the odds, even if that just means surviving through the next day. Tomorrow is always a new day, a fresh start and life will not always be as hard as it may feel in the moment.
JB: Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?
JP: Write. Just write, and then write some more. Write about what makes you happy, what motivates you, what drives you. Don’t get caught up in what the people around you may think, or how they might feel. Write for yourself, because your story deserves to be told, and the ones who are listening are the ones who need to hear it.
Readers can pre-order “Dulce” through her customized pre-order page right here. Learn more about Jessica Parrish through the links below:
Can’t wait to get my copy!!
Amazing chapter I was fortunate enough to be able to read. Highly recommend!!