Dream Girl (from Meditations on Gravity) {has} ‘Charisma’..
a ‘gift of grace’ so authentically true.. as to give a quality to the universe
it could not otherwise possess.
– Michael Brechtel @ healinginparadiserocks@gmail.com
Letters from Costacalle is an inspiring, uplifting and thoughtful glimpse into the life a 40-something divorcee who chose to leave the American dream behind to create one of her own. For everyone who ever felt like “having it all” western-style just isn’t enough; she’s both a heroine and a cautionary example.
Experience the Pura Vida lifestyle of a house-sitter living FREE in Costa Rica. Live the fantasy vicariously, passionately and wholly immersed in her third-world pueblo surrounded by locals and named Aventurina Valiente for her bravery and very public practice of archery. Or ride the wave of joy as she learns to paraglide in the skies over one of the most eco-diverse regions of the planet. Then be at her back as she faces her greatest fears in the coastal town named for a Whale’s Tail.
How I learned to lay in a hammock and nine other stories of reckless abandon and blatant disregard for responsibility is a testament to human resiliency and our capacity for joy when all seems is lost.
As Costacalle, Jessica is not just another storyteller. Her style invites you in for a cup of coffee to catch up with an old friend. The stories stand alone and can be enjoyed singularly but most often you’ll find yourself wondering how the pot got emptied and where you might find a piece of banana bread as sweet or satisfying.
She’ll tell you it’s because they’re made from Durham wheat and real butter and love. Then she’ll tell you how it all started. How you got here. Why you came. And you’ll only have one question.
When will we meet again?
“I am especially enchanted by her voice.
It sounds so young, yet strong..
firm..emphatic..confident.”
– Poet and Publisher Ellis Felker @ www.redoakcards.com
[Jessica’s poetry is] “effervescent and lively,
feminine and easy to read. [It’s as if] “she is inviting you to share a private moment,
saying, ‘This will be a gentle and intriguing experience. Go ahead, turn one more page.'”
– BFF Midwestern Division
“Jessica’s poetry is amazing, but when you hear it spoken,
it takes it to a whole new level!”
– Johanna, Living Forest Retreat Center @ www.lakearenalretreats.com
“[Jessica’s] poetry is all about passion, emotion, sensuality, becoming.
When you read aloud every word become a sensory experience.
The reader can embrace or be embraced by every word. Her poetry is ‘now’, this moment. Glances exchanged. Vulnerability. Sunlight on bare skin.”
– Randy Dodds