Age 32
Jason Purcell has always known that they wouldn’t land on a nine-to-five job. Having started in music, Purcell’s career took a few turns until getting into literature studies, where they found their voice in literary arts. Now co-owner of Glass Bookshop, with more poetry yet to publish, this author who wears many hats sometimes fantasizes about taking a break.
“But I also feel like fantasizing is more alluring than taking an actual break. The way I rest now has changed. I’d think having some deep thinking or editing a draft is also resting, and it’s fulfilling,” says Purcell.
While they usually spend more time in the back of the bookstore responding to emails and managing social media pages, Purcell constantly craves the stimulation of creating and getting the words of other writers out.
“There are so many talented writers and unheard voices,” says Purcell.
As a non-binary writer, Purcell is hyper aware of the ways in which community support makes a writer’s work and life possible, “which is what fuels me to invest in Edmonton’s literary community as much as I have been invested in.
“I really believe that timing is everything, and I learned about my place in the community through past failures.”
They nurture a vibrant space for marginalized writers
This article appears in the November 2022 issue of Edify
