Category Archives: Biography

A Journal for Dad

Dad, Share Your Story with Me journal for dads, available now on Amazon Recently, I published Dad, Share Your Story with Me, a journal for a dad to pass down their stories to his kids and their kids in this own words. It becomes the book holding the story the of his life. Along withContinueContinue reading “A Journal for Dad”

Speak the Way You Write, She Said

“Jermaine,” Ms. Willard said, as she took the seat beside me. The other students elbowed each other on the way out the classroom. Looking me in the eyes, Ms. Willard asked, “Why don’t you speak the way you write?” I stayed up for nights on end… I tilted my head to the side. At theContinueContinue reading “Speak the Way You Write, She Said”

Brittney Griner: Runaway Black Girl Theory (RBGT)

Imagine LeBron James gets on a plane to Russia only to end up a prisoner to the country at a time it is at war with a country the U.S. is supplying with weapons and other aid. The headlines would be innumerable, and the outrage would be tangible. Every reporter to politician would be seekingContinueContinue reading “Brittney Griner: Runaway Black Girl Theory (RBGT)”

Emeka Ossai: Is he worth listening to?

Jermaine Reed, MFA is a college professor and writer from Chicago, who creates fiction, nonfiction and local and national news stories. Please join Jermaine’s email list to get notifications on new blog posts, writing advice and free books. Get his recently released Science Fiction novel A Glitch in Humanity by clicking here. Follow J Reed on Twitter @jreed913 . IfContinueContinue reading “Emeka Ossai: Is he worth listening to?”

Happy Father’s Day to EVERY Father

Photo of Rapper Young by The New York Times About the author: Jermaine Reed, MFA is an adjunct college professor and writer from Chicago, who creates fiction, nonfiction and local and national news stories. For self-publishers, authors and other writers and Creatives, Jermaine provides proofreading on Fivver. Please join Jermaine’s email list to get notificationsContinueContinue reading “Happy Father’s Day to EVERY Father”

The Audacity of Gayle King

For too many years, women have been objectified by men, raped and beaten by men and used for whatever sick purposes those men wish to use them for. Rape has been a constant stain on both past and present, but that doesn’t mean all men must be attacked by this suddenly woke culture more concernedContinueContinue reading “The Audacity of Gayle King”

An Ode to a Frenemy of Mine

Tom Deriggi and I came from completely different backgrounds, but, as the universe would have it, our paths intertwined. He was a heavyset guy with bright red flushed cheeks that seemed to accentuate his greyish blue eyes. Politically, we were on two opposite spectrums: Tom on the far right, arms folded, chest out; me onContinueContinue reading “An Ode to a Frenemy of Mine”

The Mortality of the Writer

Last night, I saw two people die in a car accident. Their car hit a pole, splitting the hood in two. I opened the driver’s side door to see if I could help, but the interior was so mangled, I knew he was gone. I went around to the passenger side and saw a guyContinueContinue reading “The Mortality of the Writer”

Our Own Sort of Fun

Drugs. Violence. Police brutality. Hate. Love. Love. Love.  In 1995, if you would have read about the Robert Taylor projects, the news report would probably have headlined something like this:  “17 Men Arrested in Drug Sting at Robert Taylor Homes.”  But inside those forsaken buildings where no one but those who lived there would haveContinueContinue reading “Our Own Sort of Fun”

Inspiration Comes from Everywhere

As you’ll find if you read my blog thoroughly enough, I grew up in the Robert Taylor Projects on the Southside of Chicago. If you do any research, you’ll find it was not the ideal place to grow up, being overwhelmed with drugs and gang activity. But it is where I am from, and IContinueContinue reading “Inspiration Comes from Everywhere”

A Personal Reflection on the Business of Self-Publishing

As a self-published writer, I find myself seeking tools that can not only help me sell more books but that can also help me in my writing process. To help other writers braving this unforgivable landscape we call self-publishing, I am writing this blog “The Business of Self-Publishing.” The greatest advice I can give toContinueContinue reading “A Personal Reflection on the Business of Self-Publishing”

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck is not your normal self-help book, and it is not for the faint of heart. This book doesn’t coddle you into feeling better or amp you up into believing you can do anything. Instead, it tells you how life is and suggests that you just deal withContinueContinue reading “The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck”

What It Means to Be a Self-Published, Indie Author in 2018

A lot of writers who do not have book deals classify themselves as self-published or indie authors. They take on that title and expect instant success. Most of the time, if their first book does not do well, these “authors” drop out of the race to being America’s next great writer. Over the last twoContinueContinue reading “What It Means to Be a Self-Published, Indie Author in 2018”

Becoming Writer: Formal Education as an Author Versus None as a Writer

Yesterday, a fellow blogger asked me a good question about formal education as a writer versus no formal education as a writer. A lot of writers struggle with this. Some see education as the end all, be all that will make them a best-seller. Others who don’t have this education sometimes feel inadequate. It tookContinueContinue reading “Becoming Writer: Formal Education as an Author Versus None as a Writer”

This Year So Far as a Writer

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”

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”

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”