For 9-Year-Old Despair, A Book Became A Lifeline: Joelle Taylor's Literary Journey
As a child, author and journalist Joelle Taylor found solace in fantasy literature during her most trying times. Her earliest reading experience was with Clement C Moore's "The Night Before Christmas", but it wasn't until she stumbled upon Alan Garner's "The Weirdstone of Brisingamen" that she discovered a true love for storytelling.
At nine years old, struggling to cope with adolescence, Taylor found herself drawn into the dark world of Brisingamen. The book's eerie landscapes and mysterious landmarks resonated deeply with her local surroundings in Lancashire, creating an uncanny sense of connection to the story.
Taylor's literary journey has been marked by a series of formative encounters that have shaped her writing style and worldview. Her introduction to books by black female writers during university had a profound impact on her work. Ntozake Shange's "For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow Is Enuf" stands out as a seminal influence, its fusion of narrative, poetry, and performance art inspiring Taylor's own exploration of identity and politics in her writing.
Throughout her career, Taylor has been guided by a diverse range of authors who have challenged her perspectives and pushed her to experiment with new forms. Adrienne Rich's "The Dream of a Common Language" showed her the power of language as a tool for social change, while TS Eliot's "The Waste Land" revealed its cinematic imagery and historical significance.
More recent discoveries, such as Judy Grahn's "Another Mother Tongue", have allowed Taylor to explore themes related to identity and community. Her own literary output has been influenced by her experiences with queer culture, and she has sought to challenge the traditional narrative of women's literature by incorporating diverse perspectives.
As a journalist, Taylor draws on these influences to inform her writing style, seeking to craft compelling stories that resonate with readers. Her personal reading habits have become increasingly eclectic, with ghost stories remaining a comfort read that offers solace in times of uncertainty. With new works like Wayne Holloway-Smith's "RABBITBOX" currently captivating her attention, it seems unlikely that Taylor will ever find herself lost for literary inspiration again.
Taylor's love affair with literature began as a coping mechanism, but has since blossomed into a lifelong passion. As she reflects on her journey, one thing becomes clear: the books that have shaped her life will continue to inform and inspire her writing for years to come.
As a child, author and journalist Joelle Taylor found solace in fantasy literature during her most trying times. Her earliest reading experience was with Clement C Moore's "The Night Before Christmas", but it wasn't until she stumbled upon Alan Garner's "The Weirdstone of Brisingamen" that she discovered a true love for storytelling.
At nine years old, struggling to cope with adolescence, Taylor found herself drawn into the dark world of Brisingamen. The book's eerie landscapes and mysterious landmarks resonated deeply with her local surroundings in Lancashire, creating an uncanny sense of connection to the story.
Taylor's literary journey has been marked by a series of formative encounters that have shaped her writing style and worldview. Her introduction to books by black female writers during university had a profound impact on her work. Ntozake Shange's "For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow Is Enuf" stands out as a seminal influence, its fusion of narrative, poetry, and performance art inspiring Taylor's own exploration of identity and politics in her writing.
Throughout her career, Taylor has been guided by a diverse range of authors who have challenged her perspectives and pushed her to experiment with new forms. Adrienne Rich's "The Dream of a Common Language" showed her the power of language as a tool for social change, while TS Eliot's "The Waste Land" revealed its cinematic imagery and historical significance.
More recent discoveries, such as Judy Grahn's "Another Mother Tongue", have allowed Taylor to explore themes related to identity and community. Her own literary output has been influenced by her experiences with queer culture, and she has sought to challenge the traditional narrative of women's literature by incorporating diverse perspectives.
As a journalist, Taylor draws on these influences to inform her writing style, seeking to craft compelling stories that resonate with readers. Her personal reading habits have become increasingly eclectic, with ghost stories remaining a comfort read that offers solace in times of uncertainty. With new works like Wayne Holloway-Smith's "RABBITBOX" currently captivating her attention, it seems unlikely that Taylor will ever find herself lost for literary inspiration again.
Taylor's love affair with literature began as a coping mechanism, but has since blossomed into a lifelong passion. As she reflects on her journey, one thing becomes clear: the books that have shaped her life will continue to inform and inspire her writing for years to come.
can't even imagine how hard it must've been for them to find solace in books that soon became their lifeline sadly more kids are struggling like this and we're still not doing enough to help them 
her journey is all about embracing diverse perspectives & challenging traditional narratives, which is EVERYTHING. and i love that shes been influenced by queer culture & women of color authors like ntozake shange and adrienne rich 
️ Reading saved Joelle's sanity as a kid, now she saves others with her words 
but what really got me is how she talks about finding solace in dark stories when you're feeling lost tbh i think we can all relate to that 
anyway i love how she's been influenced by so many authors and its crazy to see her work grow from there 
i'm definitely adding wayne holloway-smith's "RABBITBOX" to my to-read list now 
. I remember when I was around her age, we had these oldie but goodies like "The Night Before Christmas" 
and it's crazy how certain stories can transport you to another world, right? But what I love about this article is that Joelle discovered Alan Garner's "The Weirdstone of Brisingamen" which totally resonated with her surroundings back in Lancashire. It's amazing how those formative experiences shape us into the writers we become... like, I remember reading Ntozake Shange's book for the first time and being blown away by its poetic power 
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it's like, our brains are wired to seek out escapism when we're feeling lost or overwhelmed, but for taylor, books became a lifeline. they helped her navigate these tough times & find a way forward. it's such an important reminder that reading can be more than just entertainment – it can be a source of strength & inspiration 
I mean, it's awesome that Joelle Taylor found solace in fantasy literature as a kid... who wouldn't want to escape into another world when things get tough? 
But seriously, it's really cool how she found those specific books that resonated with her and helped shape her love for storytelling. "The Weirdstone of Brisingamen" is like the ultimate goth novel, lol. But in all seriousness, it's great to see authors from different backgrounds influencing each other and pushing boundaries.