We had the good fortune of connecting with Jessica Warrick and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jessica, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?

Hello, hello- and thanks for having me (again)! 🙂 I’ve always had a passion for writing; for bringing paper to life with words. For me, the driving force behind deciding to become an author is primarily the human factor and genuine connections.

Early on in my journey as a bereaved mother, I just remember feeling like it would have been helpful to have something on paper that could help me know I’m not alone- and further, believe there was real healing to be found. Knowing that all humans grieve at some point in our lives, I was compelled to relay a real, raw, in-depth account of the hardships we face in grief, and the beauty there is in healing- however messy it can be along the way.

Ultimately the need to bring this idea (book) to life became a consistent desire in my days, so I committed to it with every fiber of my being. In my head and heart, I believed (and still do) that, if my journey could help even just one person find hope and not feel so alone, then the hard work would be more than worth it; and it absolutely has been.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Building my writing endeavors/author brand has been a long, bumpy road. It’s been an incredible treat to watch myself grow and develop over the years.

Arguably one of the most important aspects of who (and where) I am in life today is my endless pursuit of healing: both for myself and for anyone I encounter along my journey’s path. As the saying goes, “you can’t truly help others until you have first helped yourself”. It’s so true. If I hadn’t put in the hard work to heal my trauma and the wounds it has caused, I never would have made it to this place in life.

In everything I do, which includes my writing endeavors, I strive to be honest, fair, transparent, and wholly-human (flaws and all). I believe this creates an atmosphere that encourages others to show up entirely as their own authentic selves as well. It’s in this space that a deep sense of community, compassion, and empathy flourish- allowing for real, lasting healing to begin and meaningful friendships to be built.

That said, two of the hardest things I’ve had to learn are that 1. it’s not my responsibility to save others, and 2. not everyone wants to be saved, anyways. I had to shift from a place of wanting to be “the fixer”, assuming ownership of others’ progressions through healing, to the friend who simply shares her experiences and insight for others’ to do what they will with the information without taking on any form of responsibility for whether or not they choose to use it to heal.

In short, I had to learn the tough lesson that I can only do my part to the best of my ability with the best of intentions; the rest is up to each individual to choose what they’ll do with the insight, emotion, and support I bring to the table. And, with that, I had to learn to not take it personally when people choose to do whatever it is they choose to do from there. It’s not my job to save anyone. It’s my calling to love everyone and be a light that allows for real healing, should that be the path they choose to walk- so that’s the place I’ve operated from when building and expanding upon my personal brand as an author, and as a friend.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
There are so many beautiful, fun things to do in San Diego. Hands down, though, my # 1 recommended sight to see in San Diego is La Jolla Cove. It’s a fun area with shops, dining, and coffee (always a plus for this caffeine junky!). On top of that, the cove itself is breathtaking. There is an abundance of sea life to marvel at- namely the community of sea lions that causally line the shores of the most clear-watered beach I’ve personally encountered in the continental U.S. 13/10 definitely recommend adding this to the top of your San Diego to-do list.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?

Oh, man. There are so many people who have helped guide me and encourage me to pursue the passion and desire of mine to become a published author- and they all deserve a shoutout!

Up first I want to thank my pastor, Greg Carr, for helping me build my relationship with God. His spiritual guidance led to a deeper level of healing in my life that, without, I’m not sure I would have been able to complete this book.

Secondly I want to thank my friends Mollie Kauffmann and Cam Warr for believing in me, cheering me on, helping me believe in myself, and (to Cam especially) nagging me along the way to keep me on track, haha.

I also have to shout out the NaNoWriMo organization. Their structure and mission to help writers start, develop, and complete their writing endeavors are what got me going and also what got me to finish. They’re brilliant. Anyone with a desire to write anything at all ought to give them a gander at www.NaNoWriMo.org.

Up next is my new, dear friend R.W. Harrison, author (the Onyx Trilogy and Raven’s Temple) and my editor Annemarie Pabel for their astounding work in helping direct my book from manuscript to the final polished product it is today. They helped me in ways I didn’t even know I needed; I’ll be forever grateful for their help.

Lastly, but certainly not least, I have to thank my boyfriend Joseph Sikorski, for fostering an environment within our relationship wherein I feel safe, supported, accepted, and loved- for all of my good and for all of my bad. His sacrifice of date nights and the unwavering ways in which he has my back have been paramount to my success. The subject matter of my book was crippling at times, so having him to lean on and lift me up throughout the process was, quite literally, my saving grace.

Oh, and one last special shoutout goes to Alexandra Paris d.b.a. Grandview Photography for helping capture a huge milestone in my writing career. Thanks to her I have the perfect series of author photos for my book and online presence across social media.

All of these people (and more)- individually and combined- gave me the courage and belief in myself to stand where I am today, being able to call myself a published author. Words fail to properly express my gratitude for each and every one of them.

Instagram: www.instagram.com/jessicawarrick.author

Facebook: www.facebook.com/jessicawarrick.author

Other: You can find my book, Despite the Odds: A Memoir of Grief, Faith, and Healing, on Amazon here: https://a.co/5AwOV0p

Image Credits
Alexandra Paris dba Grandview Photography

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutSocal is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.