PART 1 ALL ABOUT THE AUTHOR.......
TINA:Before we begin the interview what do I call you with
Author: Marakeshsparrow (you can call me Jessa though)
TINA: Hi Jessa Welcome to the interview.
TINA: Any special reason behind your aff account name. if yes what and how did u come by it ?
JESSA:Marakeshsparrow comes from two songs I always really loved. When I first started writing fan fic in 2006 those songs had a particular effect on me. They were both by Crosby, Stills and Nash (an amazing folksy trio from the late 60s and 70s). Suite: Judy Blue Eyes and Marrakesh Express. One referenced a sparrow—
Chestnut brown canary
Ruby throated sparrow
Sing a song, don't be long
Thrill me to the marrow
Voices of the angels
Ring around the moonlight
Asking me said she so free
How can you catch the sparrow?
The other was about a place I’d always wanted to visit—
I've been saving all my money just to take you there
I smell the garden in your hair
I combined the two to form Marakeshsparrow (purposely dropping one of the “R’s” in Marrakesh). A long answer for a pretty simple question, huh? ^_^
TINA:Where are you from?
JESSA: I moved from place to place in the United States over the years. I currently reside in Brooklyn, New York.
TINA:Age/relationship status/partners and kids?
JESSA: I am 28 (just a couple months away from 29, eottokke?) Am single and live with my friend and roommate. We’ve actually been friends since we were 13! //shakes head in disbelief// Time really flies, doesn’t it? Now I’m getting all sentimental! Also, I am currently dating different people, but no serious partners.
PART1
INTERVIEW OF MARAKESHSPARROW....LET'S GET IT ON WITH MARAKESHSPARROW.......
JESSA:Hi! for non korean speaking readers : "eottokke" actually means, "what to do" in Korean. I just wrote it in the romanized way, rather than actual hangeul.
TINA:What is your occupational status as if right now?
JESSA: By day I’m an associate producer at a boutique production company. We mostly do documentaries and reality television (not the trashy kind though!) It’s a pretty stressful job! I also come from screenwriting for film, so have a few feature scripts floating around out there. Am hoping to eventually finish an original novel as well—it’s been in the works waaay too long (since 2010).
TINA:Birthday?
JESSA: November 25! (As for the year, I told you my age already—you can do the math! Hahaha!)
TINA:What is your favorite past time or what do u do in your free time?
JESSA: Honestly? Writing. I really do enjoy it. Especially writing juicy stories about YunJae—I find that particularly entertaining at the moment. Work is so busy sometimes though it’s a little hard to get the time! But I also love to dance and am somewhat of a musician. That might also be why I’m so fascinated by pop stars. I had actually wanted to be a musical actor for a long time, but eventually changed my focus to film and writing. I do miss it though! So recently I’ve been getting back into dance. K-Pop is very inspiring in that regard!
I also really like watching movies and K-Dramas. I blog a bit about K-Dramas for Dramafever, this drama streaming online platform. And I like going for walks around New York City and eating lots of delicious food! China Town, Korea Town and Hells Kitchen are major haunts. When I’m not eating with my friends, we love to do Noraebang (karaoke) and get loose! Good times! But what I’d like to do more of is travel. I haven’t done enough traveling outside the US.
TINA: Favorite color/s?
JESSA: Orange. Yellow. Purple.
TINA: Favorite food and favorite country cuisine?
JESSA: Vietnamese, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Thai . . . Good God, I only eat Asian food! Hahahaha. I really do love it though. I was actually raised eating Asian food, my dad worked for a Japanese company and was in and out of Japan, bringing bits of Asian food and culture back with him each time. Yummmmm. I also love Mexican (as I’m half), and seafood in pretty much any form.
TINA: favorite movie/s. why?
JESSA: That is a hard question to ask someone who majored in film studies in college. I love really wild, surreal, avant-garde films. Like Moulin Rouge, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Brazil, Velvet Goldmine. But I also love more serious, “quiet” films—I’m a particular fan of the director Ang Lee; Brokeback Mountain, Sense and Sensibility, and Lust, Caution are some of my favorites. I also really love horror movies of all varieties. I’ve got weird tastes.
TINA: Favorite book and favorite Author/s. why?
JESSA: I guess I have to say Stephen King. He’s been a huge role model and inspiration for me as a writer. He’s like my literary idol—I even took pictures outside his house in Maine! Hahaha. I also love Anne Rice. Her prose is amazing. And the first several books in the Vampire Chronicles are some of my all time favorite works. I also love classic British literature: Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, Charlotte Bronte, Shakespeare. Is it cliché to say that one of my all time favorite works is Hamlet? It’s just so damned angsty and brilliant. Now you know why my writing leans towards the angst. Haha!
TINA: Favorite Dress code?
JESSA: Hmmm, does this mean, what’s my style? I used to have fairly outrageous style (back in my younger days //reminisces tearfully//) I wanted to be a hippy so dressed the part. But then when I went to college my style became a little more urban, sometimes leaning towards the androgynous. But now I’d say I’ve definitely been inspired by Korean fashion (particularly in K-Dramas) and have been dressing a little more feminine. I grew my hair out longer than it’s ever been! It’s weird!
TINA:Comfort or Fashion?
JESSA: It depends on the occasion. Sometimes it’s worth suffering for fashion, sometimes it’s definitely not.
TINA: Favorite designers dress/shoes?
JESSA: Unfortunately on an independent doc producer’s salary I can’t afford any labels. I don’t even know if there’s one particular designer I even like that much. I usually get a lot of my clothes from second hand stores and vintage shops.
TINA:Personal style statement?
JESSA: Do what you want; wear what you want. Feel free to be funky.
TINA:Dream destination?
JESSA: Morocco! I have to go to Marrakesh one day! After that possibly a vacation exploring multiple cities in China. Then Korea and Japan. I want to travel all over Asia!
TINA: Favorite perfume?
JESSA: I always used to wear patchouli. Now I usually wear a rose scented fragrance.
TINA: Branded or Generic clothing?
JESSA: Generic!
TINA:Hobbies you are involved in?
JESSA: Dance, piano, writing, drawing, watching films, going for walks
TINA:Ideal man /woman?
JESSA: Someone who can have a fast paced, funny conversation! Nothing makes my heart beat faster than a smart mind and sense of humor.
TINA:Have you ever been attracted to the same ?
JESSA: Yes, one of the people I am currently dating is a woman. But I also date men.
TINA: Who and when is your first crush?
JESSA:Hmmmm my first real crush was with some boy in grade school. I don’t really remember; I feel like I had a new crush every other week. But the first person I was in love with was my best friend. Unfortunately we grew a part. C’est la vie, n’est-ce pas?
TINA: Natural hair and eye colur?
JESSA: Brown hair and brown eyes.
TINA:Beauty according to you is?
JESSA: Beauty is in the eye of the beholder! Cheesy, but true I think. Also true beauty I think is when you are kind, humble, and giving.
TINA: What’s in your purse?
JESSA: My passport (I had my ID stolen, long story). Credit cards. Some cash. Loose papers and receipts.A journal and pen.My metro card.My phone and headphones.
TINA: 2 things you cannot live without?
JESSA: Sadly, my phone. And seltzer water.
TINA: If u get to meet one celebrity either dead or alive who will it be and why?
JESSA: Well my knee-jerk instinct is to say Kim Jaejoong! But then if I think I had a chance to meet any celebrity, even if they’re dead? Maybe I’d actually have to say John Lennon.
TINA:I am obsessed with______ fill it?
JESSA: Um, K-Pop? It’s really like an illness I haven’t been able to get over (JK). I technically discovered K-Pop late in the game, but now it feels like it’s been forever. Forever and just yesterday all at the same time.
TINA:I am Passionate about____________ ?
JESSA: I am passionate about so many different things! About writing, about the arts, about music. About human rights and societal problems. Maybe I have too many passions?
TINA:Motto in life:
JESSA: Go forth and be bold.
TINA:If u get stranded on a isolated island name 3 things you want?
JESSA: Pen and a large notebook. A lighter to help make fire.
TINA:Proudest moment ever?
JESSA: Hmmm…I don’t know if I’ve had my proudest moment ever yet. I felt pretty proud after a few performances I’d done back in the day. I feel proud when my short films get screened in theaters (for festivals). I’m proud that people are interested in reading the fics I write! But I’m still aiming for that next goal!
TINA:Most embarrassingmoment?
JESSA: My most embarrassing moment is far too embarrassing to mention.
TINA:One day you open the door and find Yunjae on your door step?
JESSA: I can’t even imagine that. I guess I’d invite them in for tea or something? I’d probably be too shocked to do much of anything but ask them why they were at my door and if they were ok. Because for them to show up at my apartment in Crown Heights they would have to be in a really weird situation. Hahahaha!
TINA:If you are to write your life story what will the title be?
JESSA:Jessa Leigh: Like an Amoeba to the Brain
TINA:Goal in life:
JESSA: To become a published novelist. To have a screenplay I wrote go into production. To direct my own feature film.
TINA:How do you describe yourself?
JESSA: I’m a free thinker. Extremely open-minded.Laid-back by nature. I’m a student for life, in the sense that I love learning and discovering new things. I would consider myself spiritual rather than religious but believe above all things we should treat one another with respect and kindness. So I guess I’m a sap as well, huh? And a bit of a romantic, in a cynical kind of way. My friends would say I’m pretty funny and fun to be around. I can flip flop between being an introvert and an extrovert. A bit complicated—is that too cliché for a writer/wannabe artist? Sometimes I can be a bit of a chameleon, but that’s possibly because I’m still finding my way in the world. I think a lot about life and have the occasional existential crisis. So overall, good company!
END OF PART 1.
JESSA: By day I’m an associate producer at a boutique production company. We mostly do documentaries and reality television (not the trashy kind though!) It’s a pretty stressful job! I also come from screenwriting for film, so have a few feature scripts floating around out there. Am hoping to eventually finish an original novel as well—it’s been in the works waaay too long (since 2010).
TINA:Birthday?
JESSA: November 25! (As for the year, I told you my age already—you can do the math! Hahaha!)
TINA:What is your favorite past time or what do u do in your free time?
JESSA: Honestly? Writing. I really do enjoy it. Especially writing juicy stories about YunJae—I find that particularly entertaining at the moment. Work is so busy sometimes though it’s a little hard to get the time! But I also love to dance and am somewhat of a musician. That might also be why I’m so fascinated by pop stars. I had actually wanted to be a musical actor for a long time, but eventually changed my focus to film and writing. I do miss it though! So recently I’ve been getting back into dance. K-Pop is very inspiring in that regard!
I also really like watching movies and K-Dramas. I blog a bit about K-Dramas for Dramafever, this drama streaming online platform. And I like going for walks around New York City and eating lots of delicious food! China Town, Korea Town and Hells Kitchen are major haunts. When I’m not eating with my friends, we love to do Noraebang (karaoke) and get loose! Good times! But what I’d like to do more of is travel. I haven’t done enough traveling outside the US.
TINA: Favorite color/s?
JESSA: Orange. Yellow. Purple.
TINA: Favorite food and favorite country cuisine?
JESSA: Vietnamese, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Thai . . . Good God, I only eat Asian food! Hahahaha. I really do love it though. I was actually raised eating Asian food, my dad worked for a Japanese company and was in and out of Japan, bringing bits of Asian food and culture back with him each time. Yummmmm. I also love Mexican (as I’m half), and seafood in pretty much any form.
TINA: favorite movie/s. why?
JESSA: That is a hard question to ask someone who majored in film studies in college. I love really wild, surreal, avant-garde films. Like Moulin Rouge, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Brazil, Velvet Goldmine. But I also love more serious, “quiet” films—I’m a particular fan of the director Ang Lee; Brokeback Mountain, Sense and Sensibility, and Lust, Caution are some of my favorites. I also really love horror movies of all varieties. I’ve got weird tastes.
TINA: Favorite book and favorite Author/s. why?
JESSA: I guess I have to say Stephen King. He’s been a huge role model and inspiration for me as a writer. He’s like my literary idol—I even took pictures outside his house in Maine! Hahaha. I also love Anne Rice. Her prose is amazing. And the first several books in the Vampire Chronicles are some of my all time favorite works. I also love classic British literature: Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, Charlotte Bronte, Shakespeare. Is it cliché to say that one of my all time favorite works is Hamlet? It’s just so damned angsty and brilliant. Now you know why my writing leans towards the angst. Haha!
TINA: Favorite Dress code?
JESSA: Hmmm, does this mean, what’s my style? I used to have fairly outrageous style (back in my younger days //reminisces tearfully//) I wanted to be a hippy so dressed the part. But then when I went to college my style became a little more urban, sometimes leaning towards the androgynous. But now I’d say I’ve definitely been inspired by Korean fashion (particularly in K-Dramas) and have been dressing a little more feminine. I grew my hair out longer than it’s ever been! It’s weird!
TINA:Comfort or Fashion?
JESSA: It depends on the occasion. Sometimes it’s worth suffering for fashion, sometimes it’s definitely not.
TINA: Favorite designers dress/shoes?
JESSA: Unfortunately on an independent doc producer’s salary I can’t afford any labels. I don’t even know if there’s one particular designer I even like that much. I usually get a lot of my clothes from second hand stores and vintage shops.
TINA:Personal style statement?
JESSA: Do what you want; wear what you want. Feel free to be funky.
TINA:Dream destination?
JESSA: Morocco! I have to go to Marrakesh one day! After that possibly a vacation exploring multiple cities in China. Then Korea and Japan. I want to travel all over Asia!
TINA: Favorite perfume?
JESSA: I always used to wear patchouli. Now I usually wear a rose scented fragrance.
TINA: Branded or Generic clothing?
JESSA: Generic!
TINA:Hobbies you are involved in?
JESSA: Dance, piano, writing, drawing, watching films, going for walks
TINA:Ideal man /woman?
JESSA: Someone who can have a fast paced, funny conversation! Nothing makes my heart beat faster than a smart mind and sense of humor.
TINA:Have you ever been attracted to the same ?
JESSA: Yes, one of the people I am currently dating is a woman. But I also date men.
TINA: Who and when is your first crush?
JESSA:Hmmmm my first real crush was with some boy in grade school. I don’t really remember; I feel like I had a new crush every other week. But the first person I was in love with was my best friend. Unfortunately we grew a part. C’est la vie, n’est-ce pas?
TINA: Natural hair and eye colur?
JESSA: Brown hair and brown eyes.
TINA:Beauty according to you is?
JESSA: Beauty is in the eye of the beholder! Cheesy, but true I think. Also true beauty I think is when you are kind, humble, and giving.
TINA: What’s in your purse?
JESSA: My passport (I had my ID stolen, long story). Credit cards. Some cash. Loose papers and receipts.A journal and pen.My metro card.My phone and headphones.
TINA: 2 things you cannot live without?
JESSA: Sadly, my phone. And seltzer water.
TINA: If u get to meet one celebrity either dead or alive who will it be and why?
JESSA: Well my knee-jerk instinct is to say Kim Jaejoong! But then if I think I had a chance to meet any celebrity, even if they’re dead? Maybe I’d actually have to say John Lennon.
TINA:I am obsessed with______ fill it?
JESSA: Um, K-Pop? It’s really like an illness I haven’t been able to get over (JK). I technically discovered K-Pop late in the game, but now it feels like it’s been forever. Forever and just yesterday all at the same time.
TINA:I am Passionate about____________ ?
JESSA: I am passionate about so many different things! About writing, about the arts, about music. About human rights and societal problems. Maybe I have too many passions?
TINA:Motto in life:
JESSA: Go forth and be bold.
TINA:If u get stranded on a isolated island name 3 things you want?
JESSA: Pen and a large notebook. A lighter to help make fire.
TINA:Proudest moment ever?
JESSA: Hmmm…I don’t know if I’ve had my proudest moment ever yet. I felt pretty proud after a few performances I’d done back in the day. I feel proud when my short films get screened in theaters (for festivals). I’m proud that people are interested in reading the fics I write! But I’m still aiming for that next goal!
TINA:Most embarrassingmoment?
JESSA: My most embarrassing moment is far too embarrassing to mention.
TINA:One day you open the door and find Yunjae on your door step?
JESSA: I can’t even imagine that. I guess I’d invite them in for tea or something? I’d probably be too shocked to do much of anything but ask them why they were at my door and if they were ok. Because for them to show up at my apartment in Crown Heights they would have to be in a really weird situation. Hahahaha!
TINA:If you are to write your life story what will the title be?
JESSA:Jessa Leigh: Like an Amoeba to the Brain
TINA:Goal in life:
JESSA: To become a published novelist. To have a screenplay I wrote go into production. To direct my own feature film.
TINA:How do you describe yourself?
JESSA: I’m a free thinker. Extremely open-minded.Laid-back by nature. I’m a student for life, in the sense that I love learning and discovering new things. I would consider myself spiritual rather than religious but believe above all things we should treat one another with respect and kindness. So I guess I’m a sap as well, huh? And a bit of a romantic, in a cynical kind of way. My friends would say I’m pretty funny and fun to be around. I can flip flop between being an introvert and an extrovert. A bit complicated—is that too cliché for a writer/wannabe artist? Sometimes I can be a bit of a chameleon, but that’s possibly because I’m still finding my way in the world. I think a lot about life and have the occasional existential crisis. So overall, good company!
END OF PART 1.
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