J.Elle

J.Elle is an African-American author and advocate for marginalized voices in both publishing and her community. Her debut novel, Wings of Ebony, a YA fantasy about a fearless, magical Black girl from a poor neighborhood, is a lead title in Simon & Schuster’s Spring 2021 lineup.

From growing up poor to being a 1st generation college student, Jess’ tenacity and passion for empowering others dates back to her first career in education, teaching tweens and teens from traditionally underserved areas to fight for their dreams. More recently, as the founder of the Your Story Is Your Power, a creative writing workshop, she mentors high schoolers on the craft of writing and the importance of sharing stories from their perspective.

Elle also works as an Editorial Intern at P.S. Literary Agency and was recently selected from a highly competitive applicant pool to serve as a Pitchwars 2019 mentor. She has also served as a mentor for Author Mentor Match and is the founder of #MondayMixer, a Twitter chat to engage writers on the platform with networking opportunities, writing questions, and encouragement. In her spare time you’ll find her cooking up some dish true to her Texas and Louisiana roots, loving on her three littles, and traveling the country with her nomadic military spouse.