Friday, August 1, 2025

42 Stories Anthology Presents: Jessica Sarlin

 


✦ Interview with Jessica Sarlin ✦







Location: New Jersey, USA

Works in the Anthology

- Fight Chapter Cover 

- No Time For Canoodling; Toss Me That Wrench  

    (J. Sarling: Steampunk)

- I Think I Left The Stove On Back On Earth (L. 

   Cairns: Satire)

- Enough About Alim; Take My Picture Already 

   (Drea Casters: Sports)

Creative Space: Home

Website: jesssarlinwriter.wordpress.com


✦ Bio

Jessica Sarlin (she/her) is a freelance writer and artist from New Jersey. Her work can be found in Door Is a Jar Literary Magazine, The Saturday Evening Post, Coffin Bell Journal, Gargantua (Air and Nothingness Press), The Forge, and other cool places.


✦ Favorites

Movies/Shows/Actors

The Sting (with Paul Newman, Robert Redford, and a hundred other amazing actors) is one of my favorites. It’s a nearly perfect movie. There is a fair amount of nostalgia there for me, too, because I remember watching it with my grandfather.

Islands/Beaches

I finally got to see Hawaii this year and it did not disappoint. Travel is so inspiring because it reminds you that you can get stuck in one perspective.


✦ Writing Focus

Who is your target audience? Why?

I think my target audience is myself, essentially, because I write better when I am tickled by my own work. Luckily, my sense of self is hazy, so I could be anyone!


✦ Process & Reflection

How do you relax?

My new thing is very long walks by myself in nature. I always find something surprising.


How do you handle rejection, and celebrate acceptance?

By now, I have a tough skin for the rejections. Some sting more than others, but I’m able to remind myself that it’s not personal or a catastrophic verdict on my work in general. I do have an ongoing struggle with celebrating the acceptances, though. I am uncomfortable tooting my own horn, even when a happy social media post (or a congratulatory cupcake!) is perfectly warranted and necessary. I’m getting better at it. GO TEAM GO.


What was the first piece you made, and was it purchased? Elaborate.

When I first started pursuing art as a career, I went back to school for graphic design. Most of my classmates were half my age. For one assignment, I made a larger decorative piece with recycled materials. I hand-painted birds on bottlecaps and plastic lids and pasted them on a flat tree structure made out of newspaper and cardboard. It was a hot mess, but cool. After class, a student asked if she could BUY it from me. I declined, but I was completely flattered and confused. Someone wanted to buy my homework?


Socials & More:

https://jesssarlinwriter.wordpress.com


🛒 Check out the full 42 Stories Anthology here: https://www.42storiesanthology.com

å🎁 Anthology merch, mugs, and more: https://www.redbubble.com/people/bamwrites/shop


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