In the above photo from WordPress, two friends disagree over a loan 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 listContinueContinue reading “Saying “No” to Family and Friends: Financial Stability”
Category Archives: family
Get a Career Today by Building a Ten-Minute Resumé with Keywords
In this photo from http://www.theguardian.com, an entrepreneur considers applicants. 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 “Get a Career Today by Building a Ten-Minute Resumé with Keywords”
Book of Rhymes: How to Beat Internet Bullies and Trolls
In this photo from HelpGuide.com, a troubled girl reacts to a rude text message while also being isolated from the others. 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, JermaineContinueContinue reading “Book of Rhymes: How to Beat Internet Bullies and Trolls”
Only Desperate Women Propose to Men
Here, a woman happily kneels while proposing to her husband-to-be. Photo from Buzz-Caribbean.com 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 emailContinueContinue reading “Only Desperate Women Propose to Men”
Succeeding in Relationships by Burning Off Emotional Leeches
Photo by WordPress About the author: Jermaine Reed, MFA is an adjunct college professorand 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 notifications on new blog posts, writing advice andContinueContinue reading “Succeeding in Relationships by Burning Off Emotional Leeches”
Black Men Don’t Cheat: Derrick Jaxn Exposed
Photo by Zee About the author: Jermaine Reed, MFA is a college English 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 notifications on new blog posts, writing adviceContinueContinue reading “Black Men Don’t Cheat: Derrick Jaxn Exposed”
Memo to the Rebel Black Boy in the Name of George Floyd (Jury Pick Starts Today in Trial of Derek Chauvin)
In this photo, a melting pot of protestors peacefully demonstrate shoulder-to-shoulder after the murder of George Floyd. Photo by: Vox.com UPDATE Oct 28, 2025: Read about the man on trial for stabbing Derek Chauvin 22 times here. Update: Derrick Chauvin was convicted of second-degree murder and other charges in April 2021 in relation to hisContinueContinue reading “Memo to the Rebel Black Boy in the Name of George Floyd (Jury Pick Starts Today in Trial of Derek Chauvin)”
Memo to the Rebel Black Boy in the Name of George Floyd (Jury Pick Starts Today in Trial of Derek Chauvin)
In this photo, a melting pot of protestors peacefully demonstrate shoulder-to-shoulder after the murder of George Floyd. Photo by: Vox.com UPDATE Oct 28, 2025: Read about the man on trial for stabbing Derek Chauvin 22 times here. Update: Derrick Chauvin was convicted of second-degree murder and other charges in April 2021 in relation to hisContinueContinue reading “Memo to the Rebel Black Boy in the Name of George Floyd (Jury Pick Starts Today in Trial of Derek Chauvin)”
Accepting People Who Will Never Change
Photo by Rachel Claire on Pexels.com The last time someone took something of yours without permission or mistreated you in one way or another, you forgave them. After explaining to them what they did wrong to you and listening to their half-hearted explanation, you accepted their quasi-apology and let them back into your life. YetContinueContinue reading “Accepting People Who Will Never Change”
How to Reveal Juicy Secrets about Yourself to Friends
Monday Morning Inspiration Column Photo by Pexels.com You consider yourself to be honest, trustworthy and loyal. Although you trust your best friend and love your family, there is something destroying you from the inside out, a secret yearning to be shared lest it tear you apart. The problem is, your secret can shatter your lifeContinueContinue reading “How to Reveal Juicy Secrets about Yourself to Friends”
How to Reveal Juicy Secrets about Yourself to Friends
Monday Morning Inspiration Column Photo by Pexels.com You consider yourself to be honest, trustworthy and loyal. Although you trust your best friend and love your family, there is something destroying you from the inside out, a secret yearning to be shared lest it tear you apart. The problem is, your secret can shatter your lifeContinueContinue reading “How to Reveal Juicy Secrets about Yourself to Friends”
How Felons Become Rich Overnight
Photo by Anete Lusina on Pexels.com For decades, the justice system tagged dads across America with felonies, effectively barring them from the workplace. With the legalization or decriminalization of marijuana spreading like wildfire across the States, criminal justice reform, overall, is becoming more progressive. Suddenly, serious jail-time for minor drug offenses is a thing ofContinueContinue reading “How Felons Become Rich Overnight”
How Felons Become Rich Overnight
Photo by Anete Lusina on Pexels.com For decades, the justice system tagged dads across America with felonies, effectively barring them from the workplace. With the legalization or decriminalization of marijuana spreading like wildfire across the States, criminal justice reform, overall, is becoming more progressive. Suddenly, serious jail-time for minor drug offenses is a thing ofContinueContinue reading “How Felons Become Rich Overnight”
Celebrating Your Own Success — Guilt Free
Photo by Viajero on Pexels.com This Thanksgiving, don’t forget to be thankful for yourself. We live in a society that tells us success is a must. So, we spend long days studying and even longer nights working, just to have a taste of that sought-after success. It’s not until we’re single, 40, lonely and stuckContinueContinue reading “Celebrating Your Own Success — Guilt Free”
Growing Your Own Wings: You Got This
Who are you trying to please? What arrogant asshole has you feeling inadequate or less than? Don’t lie to yourself. The sooner you face the reality that you allow your happiness to be determined by how someone else feels about you, the sooner you’ll be cured of this. Sometimes, we fall in awe with people,ContinueContinue reading “Growing Your Own Wings: You Got This”
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”
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 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”
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”
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”
The Reeders Block 