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Porcelain (2010 Portfolio)
Porcelain
A collection of both new and previously published short stories, poems, sketches, and essays, by Jess C Scott. PORCELAIN offers a personal draft of the author's navigation through a world that is fantastical, offbeat, ironic, unexpected, and true.
CONTENTS: 20 short fiction, 50 poems, 10 excerpts/essays, 12 illustrations / ~40,000 words
Praise for JESS C SCOTT:
"Jess's work exudes pure honesty that deserves praise. If passion does not take the form of illustrating your own book art as well, we don't know what does."
-- RCGNTN Magazine
"Dear Jess, I just wanted to say how much I've enjoyed your writing: your writing reflects something genuine, something real, about our generation that few writers have had the talent or the courage to uncover. Thank you."
-- e-mail from a reader
"I hope you always stay fresh, refreshing and daring...whether the world gets it or not."
-- T.D., via e-mail
EXCERPT:
"Oh my god," said Amber. "Martin and Emily? Eww! That's just..."
She paused.
She turned her head a little to one side. She gazed upwards, posing for thought. This way everyone would see how impeccably shaped her nose and profile were. With the word she was to emphasize, she could also show off her puckered lips to perfection. She had to mouth it right. She did! And she did it with utmost flair--
"...wrong."
Everyone at the table laughed.
The other bunch, the quieter not-so-cool-and-or-sociable bunch, was gathered in front of the TV. They seemed to be happy with a box of candy-canes and whatever Spongebob was up to on the screen.
"I know Martin's, well..." said Ash.
"A nerd." It was Heidi.
She and Amber were the Diva-Twins, and nothing would come between them. That also meant that everything they held or caught was theirs. They would share, if they were charitable, or fight it out down to the last polished fingernail. Their 'snare' was the group at the table for the time being, and they were in a kind mood. It was Christmas after all.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Jess writes edgy/contemporary fiction and poetry. Her work has appeared in a diverse range of publications, such as Word Riot, ITCH Magazine, and The Battered Suitcase. PORCELAIN features both her written and illustrative work.
CONTENTS: 20 short fiction, 50 poems, 10 excerpts/essays, 12 illustrations / ~40,000 words
Praise for JESS C SCOTT:
"Jess's work exudes pure honesty that deserves praise. If passion does not take the form of illustrating your own book art as well, we don't know what does."
-- RCGNTN Magazine
"Dear Jess, I just wanted to say how much I've enjoyed your writing: your writing reflects something genuine, something real, about our generation that few writers have had the talent or the courage to uncover. Thank you."
-- e-mail from a reader
"I hope you always stay fresh, refreshing and daring...whether the world gets it or not."
-- T.D., via e-mail
EXCERPT:
"Oh my god," said Amber. "Martin and Emily? Eww! That's just..."
She paused.
She turned her head a little to one side. She gazed upwards, posing for thought. This way everyone would see how impeccably shaped her nose and profile were. With the word she was to emphasize, she could also show off her puckered lips to perfection. She had to mouth it right. She did! And she did it with utmost flair--
"...wrong."
Everyone at the table laughed.
The other bunch, the quieter not-so-cool-and-or-sociable bunch, was gathered in front of the TV. They seemed to be happy with a box of candy-canes and whatever Spongebob was up to on the screen.
"I know Martin's, well..." said Ash.
"A nerd." It was Heidi.
She and Amber were the Diva-Twins, and nothing would come between them. That also meant that everything they held or caught was theirs. They would share, if they were charitable, or fight it out down to the last polished fingernail. Their 'snare' was the group at the table for the time being, and they were in a kind mood. It was Christmas after all.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Jess writes edgy/contemporary fiction and poetry. Her work has appeared in a diverse range of publications, such as Word Riot, ITCH Magazine, and The Battered Suitcase. PORCELAIN features both her written and illustrative work.
- GenresPoetry
First published June 20, 2010
16 people want to read
About the author
Jess C. Scott
107 books340 followersHi all,
I was trying to find my way as a writer and person throughout my twenties. I won't be writing under my "Jess C Scott" pen name as it doesn't reflect who I am anymore (it's a pen name I used since I was 12 years old).
In 2019, I started working on some horror short stories and essays. I intend to publish them at some point in future under my real name (still undecided if I might use a new pen name for fiction).
See you at my new site if the genres are of interest to you :)
Thank you and take care! 👋✍️
-- Jess. (May 2023)
LINKS: New GR Author Account | GR Personal Account
+ + +
Previous Awards / Publications
******************************
• Tea Leaves (Cha journal) / Jan 2015
• Playmates (Readers' Favorite) / April 2014
• Guest speaker in New Word Order, The Arts House, 15 Nov 2012
• Participating Author in "SWF Fringe" Debate, Singapore Writers Festival, 8 Nov 2012
• Author/Illustrator Feature, RCGNTN Magazine (SG), 2009
"Bold, fearless and always original, Jess C Scott dares to bring to light some of our darkest fantasies." --The Arts House
I was trying to find my way as a writer and person throughout my twenties. I won't be writing under my "Jess C Scott" pen name as it doesn't reflect who I am anymore (it's a pen name I used since I was 12 years old).
In 2019, I started working on some horror short stories and essays. I intend to publish them at some point in future under my real name (still undecided if I might use a new pen name for fiction).
See you at my new site if the genres are of interest to you :)
Thank you and take care! 👋✍️
-- Jess. (May 2023)
LINKS: New GR Author Account | GR Personal Account
+ + +
Previous Awards / Publications
******************************
• Tea Leaves (Cha journal) / Jan 2015
• Playmates (Readers' Favorite) / April 2014
• Guest speaker in New Word Order, The Arts House, 15 Nov 2012
• Participating Author in "SWF Fringe" Debate, Singapore Writers Festival, 8 Nov 2012
• Author/Illustrator Feature, RCGNTN Magazine (SG), 2009
"Bold, fearless and always original, Jess C Scott dares to bring to light some of our darkest fantasies." --The Arts House
Ratings & Reviews
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
July 27, 2010
Those of you who know me know that I am no fan of short stories...I am all about the novels. I didn't think I liked poetry either, until I read E.J. Stevens' work (From the Shadows and Shadows of Myth and Legend), which I loved. So I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about Porcelain when I started it.
I have to say that I've never read a book quite like Porcelain before. The combination of short stories, poems, book excerpts, essays and illustrations was a new venture for me. Being set in my ways, I have to constantly push myself to try new things. One thing that struck me is Scott's ability to change voices: her short stories are so unique and different from each other that it almost felt like I was reading the work of several authors. I think that this is a talent that will set her apart and become a defining trait.
Scott also includes some of her correspondence with publishing agents and a manifesto about independent versus traditional publishing. She has an anti-establishment bent that I (who would never dare to buck the system) can appreciate but could never relate to until reading her work. The publishing manifesto, I think, affected me the most, because it was so informative and made me look at the literary world in a totally new way.
This is exciting---how often do we get something for free? Visit Jess Scott's website and download the e-book, Porcelain, for free here.
Just One Gripe:
The four essays at the end of the book were essays Scott wrote for her college classes. While reading them left me with an appreciation of Scott's intelligence, it felt like schoolwork to me. They made the book's conclusion feel really drawn out and dry.
The Best Thing About This Book:
It is quirky and clever.
Appropriate for a younger audience:
Hmm, it's questionable...parents, read it first and then decide.
My score reflects my personal enjoyment of this book. I would probably feel much differently if I liked short stories more than I do. I'd love to know what you think---read the book for free and let me know!
I have to say that I've never read a book quite like Porcelain before. The combination of short stories, poems, book excerpts, essays and illustrations was a new venture for me. Being set in my ways, I have to constantly push myself to try new things. One thing that struck me is Scott's ability to change voices: her short stories are so unique and different from each other that it almost felt like I was reading the work of several authors. I think that this is a talent that will set her apart and become a defining trait.
Scott also includes some of her correspondence with publishing agents and a manifesto about independent versus traditional publishing. She has an anti-establishment bent that I (who would never dare to buck the system) can appreciate but could never relate to until reading her work. The publishing manifesto, I think, affected me the most, because it was so informative and made me look at the literary world in a totally new way.
This is exciting---how often do we get something for free? Visit Jess Scott's website and download the e-book, Porcelain, for free here.
Just One Gripe:
The four essays at the end of the book were essays Scott wrote for her college classes. While reading them left me with an appreciation of Scott's intelligence, it felt like schoolwork to me. They made the book's conclusion feel really drawn out and dry.
The Best Thing About This Book:
It is quirky and clever.
Appropriate for a younger audience:
Hmm, it's questionable...parents, read it first and then decide.
My score reflects my personal enjoyment of this book. I would probably feel much differently if I liked short stories more than I do. I'd love to know what you think---read the book for free and let me know!
October 4, 2010
I previously read Jess C Scott's book 'Eyeleash: A blog Novel' and I absolutely loved that, so I was keen to read 'Porcelain'. I wasn't disappointed.
I was going to give it 4 stars because for me, the essays at the end of the book are a bit much. As I haven't read any of the books which the author has written about, I couldn't really get into the essays. But then I realised that for anyone who has read those books, Jess C Scott's essays would be interesting to read, so I can understand why she has included them in the book and I've upped my rating to 5 stars.
'Porcelain' is a wonderful collection of short stories, poems, sketches, essays and blogs. It is an insight into the world of this highly original author. I think Jess C Scott is one of the authors at the forefront of a new revolution in the publishing industry which is leading the way for writers to be able to publish their work easily online (self-publish/indie publishing) without the "middleman" as Jess C Scott puts it in one of her essays. As an indie author myself, I enjoyed reading her article about 'Indie Vs. traditional publishing'
I love the short stories, which are thought provoking and extremely well written. I like the way the author has included stories in 'Porcelain' that she wrote as a child, showing her 'evolution' as a writer.
'Porcelain' is a fun read, and a great showcase of Jess C Scott's talent as a writer. She has made this book available as a free download on her website and has included excerpts of her novels and up-coming work, which is a great idea as her audience can then get a preview of her books and decide whether or not they would want to read more. It's a great concept. It is clear from reading this book that this artist lives and breathes for her writing. I look forward to reading more of her work in the future.
I was going to give it 4 stars because for me, the essays at the end of the book are a bit much. As I haven't read any of the books which the author has written about, I couldn't really get into the essays. But then I realised that for anyone who has read those books, Jess C Scott's essays would be interesting to read, so I can understand why she has included them in the book and I've upped my rating to 5 stars.
'Porcelain' is a wonderful collection of short stories, poems, sketches, essays and blogs. It is an insight into the world of this highly original author. I think Jess C Scott is one of the authors at the forefront of a new revolution in the publishing industry which is leading the way for writers to be able to publish their work easily online (self-publish/indie publishing) without the "middleman" as Jess C Scott puts it in one of her essays. As an indie author myself, I enjoyed reading her article about 'Indie Vs. traditional publishing'
I love the short stories, which are thought provoking and extremely well written. I like the way the author has included stories in 'Porcelain' that she wrote as a child, showing her 'evolution' as a writer.
'Porcelain' is a fun read, and a great showcase of Jess C Scott's talent as a writer. She has made this book available as a free download on her website and has included excerpts of her novels and up-coming work, which is a great idea as her audience can then get a preview of her books and decide whether or not they would want to read more. It's a great concept. It is clear from reading this book that this artist lives and breathes for her writing. I look forward to reading more of her work in the future.
August 5, 2010
The description is accurate. It's a mixture of different things. I started with the essays on Melville, Poe and Shakespeare, which merely scratched the surface. I didn't really learn why Jess likes Poe so much, the one and only. Her drawing of him told me more. So I read the poems and the stories, some of which she must have written before she had read Poe because they had a purity that is no longer possible afterwards. Finally I read the piece on indie versus traditional publishing, which I was already familiar with and still liked. Jess is a paragon of indie publishing and has my total support -- even though Baudelaire, who loved Poe so much that he translated every word into French, might have bemoaned the advent of cheap publishing on the grounds that it dilutes literary standards and degrades literary tastes. Maybe it would have done if traditional publishing hadn't done that first with all those autobiographies of topless models and footballers. Baudelaire was a dandy and a snob. I love him. He is inimitable and immortal. But he's a snob. Jess is a treasure. So there. After I read this I downloaded the complete works of Poe and got so absorbed in them I nearly forgot to write this review. One thing people don't often say about Poe is that he had a wicked sense of humour. I liked Poe so much when I was 22 that I recorded dozens of his stories on my cheap tape recorder and used to listen to them in bed with the lights out in the middle of the night. The humour doesn't come across well, though, in a monotone in the middle of the night. You'd be better off reading Porcelain. The humour is gentler and less obsessive.
December 20, 2011
The first time ever, I went through any book by "Jess C. Scott".
To be simply truthful and truely honest, the reviews urged me to read this book and book was really awsome.
The title for book " Porcelain" is itself is been explaining all the mystries and fact that arouse the inner spirit that pulled me to read this book by "Jess C. Scott" .
The way author presented his thought cannot be explained in words.
A good book for the Short story lovers. Also , the essay has added up to be a book of my interest.
The reviews may not matches, like the other people thoughts. But, the book was upto mark a pure contribution of words by Jess.
To be simply truthful and truely honest, the reviews urged me to read this book and book was really awsome.
The title for book " Porcelain" is itself is been explaining all the mystries and fact that arouse the inner spirit that pulled me to read this book by "Jess C. Scott" .
The way author presented his thought cannot be explained in words.
A good book for the Short story lovers. Also , the essay has added up to be a book of my interest.
The reviews may not matches, like the other people thoughts. But, the book was upto mark a pure contribution of words by Jess.
December 2, 2011
This was the first time I went through any book by Jess C. Scott.
To be honest the reviews urged me to read the book and it didn't let my expectations down.
The genre for book is been my all time favorite and the way author presented is thoughtful.
A good book for the Short story lovers. Also , the essay has added up to be a book of my interest.
However, some novel reader would not find the book too catchy and may differ with my views.
The ratings and review are solely based on my interest in the genre.
Do have a reading and let me know your views.
To be honest the reviews urged me to read the book and it didn't let my expectations down.
The genre for book is been my all time favorite and the way author presented is thoughtful.
A good book for the Short story lovers. Also , the essay has added up to be a book of my interest.
However, some novel reader would not find the book too catchy and may differ with my views.
The ratings and review are solely based on my interest in the genre.
Do have a reading and let me know your views.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews