Rising Stars: Meet Jessika Grewe Glover

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessika Grewe Glover.

Hi Jessika, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
From my earliest years, my goal has been to be a successful author. As a child, scribbling stories on any scrap of paper to getting my creative writing degree from The University of Miami, writing has always been my solace, excitement, and driving force. I had put writing on the back burner for many years, concentrating on staying home with my children, becoming a personal trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine, and all the things life throws at us. In 2018, on a trip back to the UK to visit my in-laws, the idea for my first novel took root. Another Beast’s Skin was born on the flight home to L.A. and in November 2021, the book was released to the world through my publisher, GenZ Publishing. In March 2022, the sequel, A Braiding of Darkness, dropped. I’ve been non-stop crazy writing, editing, and marketing this series for over four years. I believe success can come at any age–I am 43 and have two nearly grown children! Additionally, my husband of 22 years, Damian, and I have recently started our own art imprint and hope to bring that to the world soon. I feel I am most fulfilled when I’m being creative and uninhibited in my personal expression. All facets of art, photography, writing, and style inspire me and encompass who I am. In that sense, though I am Miami born with an English spouse, Los Angeles is truly a creative home.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
In my book, Another Beast’s Skin, one of the main characters says, “if it were easy, it wouldn’t be worth fighting for” and I believe in that wholeheartedly. The things we desire should be big enough to scare us and make us work for them. The road to being a successful author has not been at all smooth. I have had more setbacks than successes if I’m being honest. Querying a novel is a gauntlet for emotions. It’s humbling, humiliating, and stressful. However, getting a positive response is incredible. My first novel was published with a plethora of formatting and editing issues which were out of my hands, yet, of course, reflect poorly on me. I don’t dwell on it. I persevere and work to make each subsequent story, novel, and marketing campaign even better. I’d like to think that’s my strongest suit. Not only making the best of what has happened but molding the upheaval to showcase the best parts of my work or myself. The third book in my series, Of Chaos and Haste, was set to release this past October, yet has been delayed. Instead, I have been working on a totally separate novel, Stars Like Gasoline, which is scheduled for an April 25, 2023 release. Stars Like Gasoline is a sort of contemporary Florida Southern gothic entered around art (big surprise!), flawed catholic roots, humid nights, and loss. I plan to hold the book launch party at a gallery in L.A., hopefully collaborating with a local artist.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Current published works: Another Beast’s Skin, books 1 (Another Beast’s Skin) and 2 (A Braiding of Darkness), an adult contemporary fantasy series which bridges science, magic, and human emotions. It’s snarky, sexy, violent, and a fantasy series for those who like a little depth to their stories.

Moths At Bay, a short story in the Aphotic Love Anthology, follows two tragically flawed individuals (one of whom is an incubus cursed through tattoo magic) who meet by chance on a humid Miami night.

The Florist, a flash fiction piece published on Brilliant Flash Fiction, centered around a story from when and where I grew up, north of Calle Ocho in Miami.

City Walks and Love Locks, a short piece written on Agora For Writers. This delves into my feeling about writing and my need for travel.

I write lyrically, with a literary tone, and always seem to have some undertone of supernatural. I like peeking in at the darker side of human emotions while still flaunting style and snark. My writing is a fair representation of who I am. I want to take my readers on Bond-style journey, complete with literary tongue in cheek references, high fashion, and a lot of action. I once had my hands zip-tied and watched a YouTube video to figure out how one might get out of such a predicament. It took a half hour of rolling round my floor, roughing up my wrists before I snapped the ties! My rescue bulldog was not happy about any of it. I am totally committed to my craft.

In the next year, I plan to release the third book in my series, named, Of Chaos and Haste. It’s an explosive end and I cannot wait for it to be out in the world. In April, Stars Like Gasoline launches. If ever there were a book that was a solid piece of my heart, it would be this one. In it, Celia moves back to Florida, purchasing the home of her brother’s dead fiancé, who was killed fighting abroad. Ghosts send Celia & her brother into scandal with a dead French artist, missing Japanese painter, & their Mexican family with “one foot on the other side”. The idea came to me in the middle of the night. It was as if Oscar, one of the main characters, was a toddler, tapping me on the head until I woke up. I adore every part of this book and I hope my readers do too.

After Stars, I’m hoping to have my next book picked up. It’s an adult dark academia, set between Oxford, UK, and Turkey, I liken it to a bit of Frankenstein, a bit of A Discovery of Witches, and a little bit The Secret History. Fingers crossed…

Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
Do your research, don’t give up, and learn to advocate for yourself. There will be setbacks. Learn how you want to handle them. Join writing groups and a writers’ union. And, above all, create the art you want to create. You won’t be loved nor appreciated by everyone and that’s a beautiful thing. Make your art and f*ck the sheep. Can I say f*ck here? I swear like a sailor.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.jessikagreweglover.com
• Instagram: @jessikagreweglover
• Facebook: Facebook.com/jessikagreweglover
• Twitter: @jessikamittens
• Youtube: @jessikaglover

Image Credits
Damian Glover