The Art of Visual Storytelling and Re-branding Yourself with Sherryle Kiser Jackson

The Art of Visual Storytelling and Re-branding Yourself with Sherryle Kiser Jackson

Sherryle Kiser Jackson is an Educator, Visual Storyteller, Playwright, Mixed Media Artist and Multi-published Christian Fiction Author.  Listen to her Sisterhood session today:  http://www.audioacrobat.com/sa/WljLccST



Sherryle Kiser Jackson is an author of 10 titles, most recently The Promised Land, Path to Promise and Land of Promiscuity. She has been traditionally published for years and later indie published books under her own publishing house. She is also founder and host of the Write Away Weekend, an intensive writer's residency. Connect with Sherryle's Lit World at: http://sherrylejackson.blogspot.com



A Perfect Vocal: A Revision Model
Teena Marie had one in the song, “Fire and Desire,” and Luther Vandross had several throughout his career, Marvin Gaye, Donny Hathaway and Phillip Bailey as a lead in the mega –group Earth, Wind and Fire. I’m talking about a perfect vocal where notes are delivered so clear that they touch down masterfully onto the musical melody. It’s undeniable, not a note, rift or run has to be changed. Most likely a production engineer did not say,” Let’s run that back and try again.” No remix needed. A remake by another artist is not advised.

This is why I listen to music while I’m editing a novel. It reminds me that perfection is possible. Artistry begets Artistry. We are all looking to produce as Larenz Tate described in the movie, Love Jones, ‘the definitive work’.

Julia Cameron in the book, The Artist Way talks about taking an artist date where you nourish your inner artist by indulging in muse-worthy activities. It could be a day at the theater, a movie or a leisurely walk through a park. You can find me taking my date tethered to Beats headphones with my 1418 song playlist. What defines us- our brand – our message must all be contemplated when you’re editing. How will this work measure up to other books, and how will it stand out?

Revising a novel like recording a song must concentrate on what a work is saying. A great beat is cool, but a song has to be lyrically strong for me to make a connection. Everyone knows or has known someone who can just,” . . .love them and leave them.” Still others may identify with the raw and vengeful voice of newcomer, Jazmine Sullivan who boldly confesses, ‘I bust the windows out your car.”

Plotlines are everywhere. I create a playlist with each book I write as if I were asked to make a soundtrack for the movie version. Each song reminds me of the minutest detail in my story make up. When I edit, I whittle my first draft back to my characters motivation and the pursuit of their goal. My goal is to reach the very nerve ending of my characters certainly, but my readers as well, and poke at it.

In fact on of my themes of my new book, Submissionary, about an unlikely missionary on his way to Haiti, is about editing his relationships after a long absence. It’s a process, you either love or hate, but it is necessary. Revising a novel like recording a song is all about the way in which you say things. Who can forget Adele’s break out hit, “Someone Like You.”

Now, that’s a perfect vocal in its mix of what its saying and how it is said. It has very poignant lyrics, and it is haunting in its delivery. I try to be a relationship weaver in that same respect to show those bonds between people, and, certainly the bond between a person and their creator is what art is all about.

It’s about experience. I guesstimate 85% of the songs written at its core are about relationships. Most of them are not ever covered the same way. Love has subtle nuances you don’t get right the first time whether on a digitally mastered MP3 or the printed page.

The way people meet, how they love and how they clash, ultimately calls for creativity in one’s delivery. I must remember as a novelist that it’s not just the outcome but how my characters arrive there. It’s about the journey that seems fresh and new.

When you achieve what you’re trying to say and how you are trying to say it, you’ve just laid the perfect track. Admittedly, not everyone achieves it. You got to tinker with the elements- Earth, Wind and Fire – your Fire and Desire to get it right, and the saving grace of talent.




About the Author
Multi-published author, dynamic speaker, teacher, wife and mother, Sherryle Kiser Jackson hails from Prince Georges County Maryland. Trained at Salisbury State University, she’s a teacher by profession, but a writer by pure passion.

She serves up her unique brand of Soul-Satisfying Reads as her writing style reflects an honest commentary on her life with Christ. Her first novel, Soon and Very Soon, was published in 2007 followed by her sophomore title, The Manual, in 2009. Soon After, Taylor Made, Land of Promiscuity, Path to Promise round out her traditionally-published bookshelf.

Submissionary and most recently, The Promised Land are published on her own publishing company Holy*Ghost*Writing*. Sherryle lives in Charles County, Maryland (DC) with her husband and children.


Books by Sherryle Kiser Jackson 
https://www.amazon.com/Sherryle-Kiser-Jackson/e/B004G1X9HU





The Promised Land by Sherryle Kiser Jackson 


The Promised Land is the third stand-alone installment of the Land of Promiscuity series. Secrets, indiscretions and a crazy twist of unrequited love have taken these two best friends from promiscuity to promise in the first two installments. In The Promised Land they find the path is not a Utopian road paved with gold.

Eighteen months into their marriage and ministry, Will and Rebecca Donovan are now faced with new challenges. Recession, sickness and stagnation hit the Grace Apostle Methodist church in a major way. With crippling doubt in his ability to lead his church community through this crisis, Will finds it hard to aid or even bring hope to his congregation when there is little hope in obtaining the one thing he desires most.  He’s left to walk the thin line between hanging in there and hanging it all up.

There is no place to hide when the truth comes looking for Rebecca. She wrestles with infertility and the best time to reveal it to her husband. Her plans to be Super First Lady in an attempt to silence her husband’s cries for an offspring are thwarted when answers to the questions that have haunted her from childhood overtake her. Passions are ignited as old grudges with longtime rivals are dredged up and exhausted, but can they be laid to rest?

Can Will and Rebecca find what they need in one another when the Promised Land seems just beyond their grasp?


Video Reading from The Promised Land by Sherryle Kiser Jackson
A dramatic excerpt from The Promised Land by Sherryle Kiser Jackson. Scar Tissue is the inevitable conversation between a husband and wife about secrets of the past.  Watch and share here:  https://youtu.be/zgsCicpYqLA



The Promise Land Book Reviews

One of the things I appreciate most about Sherryle Kiser Jackson’s work is her authentic portrayal of real people living out real faith, flaws and all. As an avid reader, particularly of inspirational fiction, I actively seek out great stories about characters I relate to and grow to care about. It's an added bonus when I also come away with a thing or two I can use in my own life. Few authors accomplish this the way Sherryle does. In The Promised Land we see parts of ourselves and the people we know in the characters. We locate our own lives within their story and we receive a message of hope as well. If you are in the market for a compelling story, then The Promised Land is an excellent choice.
--Isunji Cardoso, Author of "Faith Lifts: 31 Daily Boosts for Sagging Faith" 



In The Promise Land, Sherryle Kiser Jackson illustrates the true meaning of spiritual growth, forgiveness and redemption.  As a Pastor and First Lady live out his sermons, they face their own mistakes, weaknesses and doubts on the way to God’s revelation of their own “Promised Land.”  Ms. Kiser-Jackson wraps faith and deliverance in realistic, imperfect characters in a writing style that holds a mirror to our souls; Giving the reader hope in the power of divine restoration and grace.
--Norma L. Jarrett, Essence Bestselling Author, The Sunday Brunch Series, Sweet Magnolia and other novels


Books by Sherryle Kiser Jackson 
https://www.amazon.com/Sherryle-Kiser-Jackson/e/B004G1X9HU

Purchase The Promised Land by Sherryle Kiser Jackson
http://www.amazon.com/Promised-Land-Sherryle-Kiser-Jackson/dp/1530256194

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