Bookpleasures.com once again welcomes as our guest, Joy Pope.

Joy holds a dual-genre MFA in Writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts. She previously earned a Master’s degree in the Liberal Arts from St. John’s College, famous for its Great Books curriculum, and she has a BA in English from the University of Oregon.

Prior to joining the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Decatur Book Festival as interim director, she was the Journalism Educator at the Andrew P. Stewart Center’s after-school studio program that serves the children of Atlanta’s Pittsburgh neighborhood. She has lived in Decatur with her husband and two daughters since 2006.

Norm: Good day Joy and thanks for taking part in our interview

Norm: Why did you decide to bring back Joshilyn Jackson Reads in 2021?

Joy: Last year, during the early spring, we were trying to figure out what to do about COVID-19. Joshilyn and I had already begun programming a series with her as the curator and host, but it was supposed to be for the physical festival that would occur over Labor Day weekend. By mid-March, it was clear that this wasn’t going to happen. I asked Joshilyn what she thought about switching to a virtual program and she said, “let’s do it!” It was pure experimentation.

We were learning how to do it as we were doing it. I was pretty stressed out. Technology isn’t my wheelhouse so I didn’t feel at all comfortable. During the first event, last May, the author’s WIFI was pretty shaky and I was so nervous, but people were really responding in the chat. They seemed to be enjoying themselves. After it was over, I got emails from people saying thank you.

This kept happening. People were excited to arrive into the virtual space, listen to authors talk about their work, and engage with their fellow attendees in the chat. And more emails. People were grateful for a salve during the stressful early days of the pandemic. After we assessed our successes and challenges of 2020, the Joshilyn Jackson series was the first thing on the list that we wanted to do again. 

Norm: Who selected the authors that will be included in this year's event?

Joy: Joshilyn selected the books from stacks and stacks that Joe Davich (Georgia Center for the Book) and I dropped off at her house. It’s her series, so she got curatorial freedom. She did consult with Nicki Salcedo, her co-captain, but Joshilyn got final say.

Norm: How does this event fit in with the Decatur Book Festival? Is it like a satellite event? Who came up with the idea?

Joy: The idea of this virtual series was born out of a number of conversations about what to do, so really it was synergy that made it happen. 

We’ve never really had year-around programming, but we’ve wanted to. This series, I think, might be something we continue even after the pandemic is over and the festival is back as a face-to-face event. 

What is the most important thing that people don't know about this virtual author series that they need to know?

Joy: People need to know that they can register by going to our WEBSITE , and that all of the events are free except for the one with Stacey Abrams on May 18th.

Tickets include a copy of the book and there are some signed copies available first-come, first serve. People should know that by purchasing one of the Stacey Abrams tickets, they are helping the festival, Georgia Center for the Book, and the bookstore, and all of us therefore are able to include debut or lesser-known authors who are getting started. So the ticket revenue doesn’t stop with the registration of this specific event; instead, it’s just a part of the process of paying it forward that the festival engages in. 

Norm: Why is the promotion of independent book authors important?

Joy: Literature is so good for people’s lives, and for our culture in general. By supporting independent voices, we get access to everybody’s stories and that makes literature all the more interesting. Independent booksellers are part of this, too, and they all need our support.

Norm: Where can our readers find out more about Joshilyn Jackson Reads?

Joy: Go to our WEBSITE for more information:

Norm: Thanks once again