by Jennifer Ward “Freckles: On Finding the Beauty of My Natural Skin” is a personal essay about finding confidence and self-acceptance. I decided to write about my freckles since they were an insecurity of mine for many years. Even if you don’t have freckles, you might have something else you feel unsure of. Most…
Category: Literature
The Dollhouse (Excerpt from a Short Story)
THE DOLLHOUSE (with an introduction) by Jennifer Ward “The Dollhouse” begins with a single universal moment—a woman coming to terms with her mother’s death. The story unfolds with the task of her sorting through her mother’s things which we know is a difficult thing to do. The feeling of nostalgia finds her when she discovers…
In the Style of William Faulkner
by Jennifer Ward Back when I was in high school and college, I read a few of William Faulkner’s books and short stories. Most of us have at some point read or heard of “A Rose for Emily” or come across some of his other frequently anthologized stories. I still remember his novel, As I…
The Softer Side of Tupac Shakur: Poetry, Life, & Wisdom
by Jennifer Ward When most of us hear the name Tupac Shakur, we think of 90s rap music, violence, and a rather tough exterior. But underneath that hard shell lies a much softer side of him that few people realize existed. After his death, some of his most intimate, hand-written poems, including a book of his…
A Closer Look at Joyce Carol Oates’ ‘Pumpkin Head’
By Jennifer Ward A Woman Alone When I first read Joyce Carol Oates’ short story “Pumpkin Head,” I was so frightened that I didn’t want to be in my apartment alone afterward. Her stories have scared me before, but this experience was quite unsettling. As with most horror stories, the shock wore off with time, yet her…