interview with jessica b. brown
- Grace Johnson
- Apr 16
- 3 min read
We're back with another interview, this time with Jessica B. Brown, author of "The Storm's Surrender"! Her poem is so beautiful and inspiring, and we're excited to share more about her and her work with you.
Welcome, Jessica! We’re so excited for you to join us today! Would you start by sharing a bit about yourself?
Hi, I’m so glad to be here! I'm Jessica B. Brown, a young author living in the picturesque North Island of New Zealand. I’m also an avid bookworm and a daughter of the one true King!
You’re featured in Of Storm & Sea with your poem, “The Storm’s Surrender”. What inspired this piece?
Originally, this poem was born out of my love for lighthouses and centered around a lighthouse! But as I kept playing around with the pieces, it slowly morphed into the version of the poem it is now, inspired by God’s promises and the light that always comes after a storm.
This isn’t your first time being published in an anthology. Can you tell us about your other works?
You are correct, it is not! In March of 2025 I was published in Fingerprints in Frost, published by Wild Blue Wonder Press. My story, ‘Til Spring's Coming, is the story of a young immigrant wife and mother who anxiously awaits her husband's return over the course of a hard winter. Through the story, she comes to terms with the fact that she doesn’t need to get through it alone and that asking for help is sometimes the best thing you can do.
What encourages you to keep writing and pursuing your dreams?
I think it’s how I’ve felt God guiding me on this journey ever since I started taking my writing seriously. He’s opened door after door for me, and I don’t feel there is anything I can do but to keep writing and walking in the direction of His leading.
What are you learning in this season of life?
I feel like I’m learning new things every day, to be honest! But two things that are close to my heart in this season is learning to prioritise the things that are really important, like my family, and how to keep pressing forward even when you feel you can’t see your next steps.
What do you do when you’re not writing?
I spend a good chunk of my time on calls or working on assignments for The Author Conservatory, the college alternative program I’m attending. But in my free time, I love spending time with my family, particularly my younger sisters, as well as playing my guitar and cross stitching, sewing, crocheting, or knitting!
In closing, how can readers connect with you and learn more about you?
Readers can follow my newsletter (https://jessicabbrown.ck.page/lavenderscentedletters) or find me on Instagram @jessica.b.brown.author!
Thank you so much for having me!
about the Poem
"The Storm's Surrender" is a gripping poem of a naval captain clinging to hope against all odds in the midst of a dangerous storm.
about the author
Jessica B. Brown is a historical fiction author and poet, avid bookworm, and daughter of the King. She writes gentle, hope-filled poetry and character-driven stories that reach for your hand and touch your heart. A born South African, she currently lives in the picturesque North Island of New Zealand with her parents and two younger sisters. When not writing or reorganizing her bookshelves, she’s trying out new gluten-free recipes or playing her favorite songs on her guitar. On any given day, you can find her feverishly typing away at a new story idea, holed up in her room reading, or unsuccessfully evading her very loved but talkative sisters.
about the anthology
Of Storm & Sea is a nautical adventure anthology that captures the romance and wonder of the ocean, with stories and poems that range from contemporary tales of ghost ships and first love, to mythology-inspired quests, to mer-queens and ex-pirates, to finding faith and footing on the rough sea. There's something so stirring and romantic about the sea, something that beckons us come and see what adventure finds us—and this collection accurately captures that idea and the emotions the ocean evokes in us. Even if you're not a pirate captain or mystery-solver or mermaid or runaway or adventurer, there's something to each of these stories you can relate to or resonate with. Just like the sea speaks to us, these stories speak to our soul's longing for escape, for redemption, for love, for a new beginning.
Featuring work from Michaela Bush, Anna Huet, Molly McTernan, Jessica B. Brown, Norah Case, Rose Everille, M.C. Kennedy, Bree Pembrook, Jennifer G. Satnic, Emma Thrasher, Linyang Zhang, Grace King-Matchett, and Lilly Tanis.
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