Jess is a black reader, writer, and librarian in Tucson, Arizona. She doesn’t get to work with books during the day, so she surrounds herself with them at home. Whether she’ll ever make it through said books? No one knows.
She loves kissing books of all kinds, but prefers them with a Happily Ever After. Basically, give her a romance novel and she’ll be set. She’s particularly interested in stories that link love and social justice, and will always advocate for the underrepresented to get their happy ending, whether in the present, the past, or a galaxy far far away.
She hopes to share her own love stories with the world, and when she does, you’ll be the first to know. You might see some shorts here, or writing prompt responses.
She mostly writes about books, though she can occasionally be found pondering on music and pop culture. As an equal-opportunity nerd, she is happy to talk about everything from Doctor Who to Rachmaninoff’s All Night Vigil.
Which she might. Non-stop.
Black Love Matters: Real Talk on Romance, Being Seen, and Happily Ever Afters, edited by Jessica P. Pryde, is out now!
Check out her story “Why Won’t You Die?” in the romance short story collection Someplace Generous, also out now!
Jess is currently Co-Chair of the Board of Directors for Legacy Unbound, a new nonprofit focused on erasing the margins in publishing and uplifting the voices of historically and systemically excluded groups.
She is represented by Tara Gelsomino at One Track Literary Agency.