Feature Friday: @JessicaLynn
It’s only blumming Friday! And we all know what this magical day of the week means! Yessirree, bob, that’s correct; it's time for Feature Friday! This week we speak with a smashing Proser who shares her words with us regularly who we are honored to have on the site. Prosers, this week we speak to Jessica Lynn Mason who you may know from her Proser name @JessicaLynn.
Jessica lives in Bay Roberts, Newfoundland. She says that it's a small town, just outside Newfoundland's capital. Jessica is currently a high school student! She says; "I was supposed to graduate last year, but in 2014 I welcomed a beautiful baby girl into the world, and things got delayed!" Awesome stuff and belated congratulations!
P: What is your relationship with writing and how has it evolved?
J: I started writing when I was very young, maybe 9 or 10, and it was just very simple silly poems that had no meaning, but I would always feel so accomplished after completing a piece that I kept on writing.
Eventually my work started to have meaning and it became a way for me to escape into my own little world. I never shared my work with anyone besides the scattered bits my mother would pick up and read out of the clutter on my bedroom floor. Then I met Ani Brinson, one of my teachers from junior high who quickly evolved into a friend or as I like to call her my "spirit horse". My writing really became important to me at that point, as she motivated me to keep writing and she would read every piece! My relationship with writing at this point is like any other relationship; I am committed and I put every ounce of passion I have into it.
P: What value does reading add to both your personal and professional life?
J: I can't be the only one who gets minorly offended on behalf of all authors, when someone say's "I don't read books". Reading is a huge part of my life. I use reading as a way to dive into a different universe. There is nothing better than a good book. You literally get to watch a movie specific to what you read, inside your own mind...That's insane. I read pretty much everything but what I enjoy the most is true crime (who doesn't love a good serial killer book?) or anything about music. Reading keeps my creative mind always ready for action and I crave knowledge, so reading keeps me satisfied!
P: Can you describe your current literary ventures and what can we look forward to in future posts?
J: Currently, (and since I can remember) my poetry has been dark, and somber. Every single piece of poetry that I write, has a deep personal meaning. I struggle with a handful of mental health issues, which is where most of my poetry stems from. While most times dark and grotesque, my poetry is for me, like I assume it is for most of you: an outlet. You can all look forward to more of my homicidal thoughts and revenge filled words, coming soon to a prose page near you!
P: What is it that you love about Prose?
J: What I love about Prose.com, is there is never ever any judgment! Lots of helpful criticism (I'm looking at you @Finder :) ) but never any judgment. Every single person has such talent, and it's not long before you're welcomed into the Prose family, like you've always been there. Everyone has their very own writing style and I love logging on and getting to check out everyone's thought process for the day! I get to peer into everyone's brains and that's something I enjoy very much!
P: Is there one book that you feel everybody should read before they die?
J: One book that I think everyone should read, would have to be Marilyn Manson's book: "The Long Hard Road Out Of Hell." It's a damn masterpiece, and so is he.
P: Do you have an unsung hero that got you into reading or writing?
J: I could go on for ages about Ani Brinson. She motivated me to keep writing, even when I thought everything I wrote was "too depressing" she was quick to tell me otherwise. She'd always get this look on her face when she'd read my work like she had just been awarded a Grammy.. She believed in me and still does!
I wouldn't even be on this website right now, if it wasn't for Ricardo Nascimento. I stopped writing for a while, and had very low confidence in my work. Ricardo read some of my stuff and told me he believed in me as a writer and that my stuff could draw an audience. He has been a huge help to me with regards to my self esteem in all aspects, and he deserves any credit he's given!
Marc Warren is another motivator of mine! He held a writing group at my school when I was in junior high called "write on!" And it was my happy place. He has always been very open minded and I learned a lot from him with regards to writing! He's just a really kind hearted guy and a fantastic teacher!
P: Describing yourself in three words
J: Strange, morbid and unique!
P: Is there a quote that sums you up?
J: That would have to be "if you aren't going to say exactly how and what you feel, you might as well not say anything at all!" Said by the legend himself, Mr.Johnny Cash!
P: Do you listen to a certain type or genre of music when you're reading or writing?
J: I am a huge Johnny Cash fan, and I'm also really digging Disturbed's version of "The sound of Silence", so that's what you can catch me jamming out to while writing!
P: You know our time machine/bookless future question. Go!
J: If I climbed out of a time machine into a future with no books, I would immediately start scribbling down bits and pieces of whatever books I could remember and I'd compile it into one masterpiece. I'd then promptly inform everyone I was their messiah, back from the dead to bring them knowledge...and tiny bits of Harry Potter.
P: Is there anything else you would like us to know about you or your social media?
J: I'd just like for everyone to know that I do read almost everything that shows up in my feed on a daily basis. Also don't worry, I have never actually drowned a man...not yet!
*Dun.Dun.Daa*
Thanks to Jessica for her time and honesty. So now you know more about her, fellow Prosers. Go follow her, go say hi, and go interact. Nominations for FF to the infor@theprose.com as always. Until next week, happy Prosing!