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    Back to ‘hitting the books’

    4
    By Jessica on March 7, 2011 news

    This past December, my world blew up for a second time. Only a few short months before, almost half the staff at the newspaper where I work got laid off. Among the major cuts; all but three copy editors and pretty much the entire features department.

    I think I walked around in a daze for about a week following that horrible day. I think it was that way for most of us.

    I was one of the lucky ones. I still had a job, and the paper still wanted me to cover books.

    That changed the first week of December. It turns out I was too expensive. Outside contributors could do exactly what I was doing at a fraction of the cost, I was told. There was an offer for me to train those so-called “talented housewives.” I declined.

    The whole experience left me feeling demoralized and unwanted. One of the things I cared about the most was suddenly taken away. Consequently, everything I was working on, or planning on working on, went into a pile, albeit an organized pile, in my closet.

    But with the new year came new opportunity — an invitation to moderate the Breathless Reads author panel in Salt Lake City was unexpected and gleefully accepted. With the invitation came a renewed desire to once again “hit the books.”

    Luckily, I have an uber-supportive husband who knows Web development. Within hours of wishing for my own website, I had one — crackingthecover.com.

    Shortly after, I was discussing my vision for the site with an artist friend. Her sketches are awesome, and I can’t wait to see the finished product.

    Today, I contacted my old contacts, and I got overwhelmingly positive responses. I’m still in a bit of shock. It’s certainly nice to feel validated every once in a while.

    Now, to tackle that pile in the closet…

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    Jessica
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    Jessica Harrison is the main reviewer behind Cracking the Cover. Prior to creating Cracking the Cover, Jessica worked as the in-house book critic for the Deseret News, a daily newspaper in Salt Lake City. Jessica also worked as a copy editor and general features writer for the paper. Following that, Jessica spent two years with an international company as a social media specialist. She is currently a freelance writer/editor. She is passionate about reading and giving people the tools to make informed decisions in their own book choices.

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    4 Comments

    1. Nicole Ekberg on March 7, 2011 9:10 pm

      I love that you’re doing this and I’m so glad the response has been positive! Your Web site looks awesome.

      Reply
    2. Scott Iwasaki on March 7, 2011 9:35 pm

      Hey Jessica!

      Congratulations on your new endeavor!

      Tammy and I are so happy for you.

      Peace!

      Reply
    3. Kari Morandi on March 10, 2011 9:42 am

      Looks great. I love this introduction.

      Reply
    4. Annie Walker on March 11, 2011 11:53 am

      I’m so excited about your new adventure and can’t wait to read your reviews!

      Reply

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