Jacqueline Colette Prosper
Jacqueline Colette Prosper
Jacqueline Colette Prosper is a Brooklynite, social media editor, and pop culture obsessive. Former pop culture writer at TODAY.com and Univision Networks. She has also contributed articles to New York Magazine, Time Out New York, and Elle.com. Subscribe to her Monday newsletter, featuring vignettes, doodles, and short stories: tinyletter.com/yummicoco
Marina Raydun: What is the first book that made you cry?
Jacqueline Colette Prosper: The first book that comes to mind is Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith, but it could also have been Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. I was 13 at the time, bursting with bubbling hormones, and always ready for a good cry -- those books were tearjearking AF. The last book that made me cry could have been Oh Crap! Potty Training by Jamie Glowacki -- she definitely strikes a nerve in the heart of any parent as they prepare to toilet train their toddler.
MR: Is there a book you’ve read over and over again?
JCP: As a kid I loved Judy Blume's Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing and I have read it numerous times. I'm really looking forward to sharing it with my four-year-old sometime soon. From Fudge's toddler antics to Peter's hilarious infuriation with his baby brother, it's the funniest book I've ever read.
MR: Was there an illicit book you had to sneak growing up?
JCP: As the youngest child in household filled with adults, I was pretty much ignored, and mostly free to do whatever I wanted. I felt pretty naughty reading American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis around age 12 though, and if my parents were paying attention, they probably would’ve confiscated it.
MR: What is your favorite underappreciated novel?
JCP: Elia Kazan: A Life. It’s a fantastic memoir! I bought it not really knowing anything about the late director, after someone recommended it to me. Kazan wasn’t the greatest man that ever lived, and he knew it. He cheated on his wife way too many times to count, and he is infamous for having ‘named names’ to House Un-American Activities Committee, which lead to the destruction of the careers of many people including playwright Clifford Odets. However, he successfully crafted a deeply personal autobiography that’s beautifully written and highly self-reflective.
MR: What are your literary pet peeves?
JCP: Writing anything takes a lot of bravery and discipline. If there’s a work that I don’t like I can’t say I wasn't feeling it in that moment because of any personal pet peeve. I'm in awe of anyone that writes and keeps at it. But when it comes to MY writing, I tend to edit myself too much, and I hate that. I long to let my thoughts fly, and to allow myself to freely write without frequently pressing the backspace button. Daily writing sprints have helped me to stay on the right track.
MR: Who is your literary crush?
JCP: I think I have a crush on the author Emma Straub. I really enjoyed reading Modern Lovers earlier this year, and I recently visited her incredible bookstore Books Are Magic in Carroll Gardens. Perhaps opening her store was inspired by Ann Patchett’s Nashville bookstore, I’m not sure. Nevertheless, it’s amazing! There’s even a great kids’ room with a gorgeous tufted leather sofa, and a poetry vending machine. All of the design elements in the store are Instagram snap-inducing
MR: Is there a thing you’ve written that makes you cringe now?
JCP: I’m currently working on a short story that is hard to write, and making me cringe -- could be brilliant, could be a disaster, jury is still out. I want it to be a hilarious and biting story. However, I tend to write too much detail, and in this instance my strong characters need a stronger plot. I’m working on it, and looking forward to that ah-ha moment when all the right pieces come together to finally make the story POP.
MR: Is there a book you wish you had written?
JCP: There are a few books that I wished I wrote: Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Affliction by Russell Banks, Journey to the End of the Night by L.F Celine, Of Human Bondage by W. Somerset Maugham, Charlotte’s Web by E.B White, English Patient by Michael Ondaatje, and Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera. Those are stories built to last that I often think about, and still come up in conversation. It’s my dream to create literary works that transcend time, worming its way forever into someone’s subconscious like a pop song.
MR: What other authors are you friends with, and how do they help you become a better writer?
JCP: I’m fortunate to have met many different authors while living in New York, and working in media. Stephanie Laterza is a wonderful friend and author. I greatly admire her storytelling abilities and discipline. I’m also a part of a monthly writers’ workshop in Crown Heights that has also greatly influenced my creative work for the better.
MR: If you could have drinks with any person, living or dead, who would it be?
JCP: Issa Rae! She’s awkward. I’m awkward. I’d love to be her friend, and I’d love to collaborate on projects with her.