Life & Work with Jessica Cage of Atlanta, GA

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessica Cage

Hi Jessica , so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I began independently publishing in 2011. It happened after a conversation with a mentor about my dream to write. I expressed to her how I wanted to control my own path with publishing, but was discouraged about the cost to start. She was the one to let me know about Amazon’s new platform KDP that made self-publishing more accessible. With her encouragement, I researched the platform and a few months later; I uploaded my first book. And now, it has been nearly fifteen years of learning and growing in this industry.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Like any journey worth traveling, it’s had some ups and down. To start with, I was very naïve about what it took to do what I do now. Because of that, I made a lot of mistakes, but I didn’t give up. Actually, some of my mistakes led me to meet people who would help guide me to a better understanding of what I needed. I think the key was that I was open to constructive criticism. I knew I had room to improve and took every opportunity to do that. The challenges are what made it worth it. I was a straight-A student and graduated early. When I’m not challenged, I get bored. And this path has been anything but boring.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I specialize in writing fantasy stories that give positive representation to marginalized characters. This was the reason I wanted to take control of my publishing journey. I wanted to put black and brown characters at the forefront of my stories and not have to diminish anything about their experiences. I knew at the time, the publishing industry wasn’t readily acquiring works like mine. Over the last thirteen years, the landscape has changed, and that’s in big part because of successful indie authors like myself. We gave readers what they wanted and big publishers had no choice but to take notice. We also stood as further encouragement for a new wave of authors, just like those before us. I am so proud to see more stories being published by authors, who I’m sure, just like myself, were once readers who wanted to see more representation in the pages.

What was your favorite childhood memory?
My favorite childhood memory is laying on top of my grandfather’s station wagon and staring up at the clouds. I would create so many stories in my mind inspired the flow of the clouds, the passing birds, and the smell of the air. I’ve always had an active imagination, and it makes me so happy to think back on that version of myself. She would be so excited to know that the stories that ran rampant in her head are now loved by people all over the world. I visit that memory often when I’m having writer’s block. It reminds me of how simple creating a story can be and I tap back into that natural talent.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.jessicacage.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jcageauthor/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jcageauthor