This year has been one of the most successful and stressful for me as a writer. I am in my third semester of a Creative Writing MFA program that requires a bunch of reading and writing, I have done a poetry reading, gotten into a car accident, written a novella, published a novella, worked onContinueContinue reading “This Year So Far as a Writer”
Author Archives: The Reeders Block
A Newborn
Nearly three months ago, my third beautiful daughter was born. Her eyes are a color I have never seen before and I cannot name. I was hoping for my first son, but I’m blessed either way. The question is, where do I go from here?
How to Write a Book
Recently, I have been working my ass off, writing, finishing my MFA and going to school while also helping to raise my three daughters. The question I am constantly asked is, “How do you find time to write?” I don’t find time. I make time. That’s the difference. Life will give you a million reasonsContinueContinue reading “How to Write a Book”
The Pressures of Being a Struggling Writer
Your manuscript should be at least 80,000 words. Hearing that may be overwhelming. It’s similar to that part in I, Robot where Sunny tells Will Smith’s character the vast amount of stairs they have to climb. You may think, how the hell do I come up with 80,000 words? Then, you may think, I’ll justContinueContinue reading “The Pressures of Being a Struggling Writer”
The Cop Who Knew Nothing, Except Everything
About two weeks ago, I had the unfortunate opportunity of being pulled over by a twenty-something cop who thought he knew it all about traffic law. It was nearly 11 pm on a busy street when a girl on her cellphone zipped into the street. I pressed my brakes so hard, the tires squealed. AsContinueContinue reading “The Cop Who Knew Nothing, Except Everything”
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I Am a Drug Dealer, Not So Much
One of my most vivid memories of my life in Chicago’s Robert Taylor Projects is my friend Travis and me walking through a grassy field and finding a huge ZipLoc bag of crack cocaine. There had to be at least 300 rocks in there. Up until this point, I had seen plenty of crack transactions.ContinueContinue reading “I Am a Drug Dealer, Not So Much”
Bullet and a Baby
The bullet exploded. The heavy gun powder choked all of us.
She Died at Three Months Old
There is an image seared into my brain of my sister running through the house screaming as she clutches her three-month-old dead baby. This image is so clear, I can pull it up and see everything exactly as it happened. The death of three-month-old Jennifer had a huge impact on my family. Since then, myContinueContinue reading “She Died at Three Months Old”
Who is J Reed?
If you ask me who I am, I will tell you that I am a mercenary from a far away country who has come to America on a secret mission to rattle things up. And if I happen to ask you whether you believe me and you in fact do, then I have done myContinueContinue reading “Who is J Reed?”
The Reeders Block 