Month: January 2026

A Nice Pair of Slacks

Well-written and unique literary fiction. Insightful prose. Recommended.

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Hi JacksonTel,

I read The Black Jellybeans PROLOGUE, and the way you set the tone from the start really pulled me in. The mysterious title, the quiet tension, and the feeling that something deeper is unfolding make it perfect for visual storytelling.

Regards

Clara

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Stephen Walters

Hi Jackson,

I’ve always believed that every book begins with a spark, a thought, a memory, sometimes even a question that refuses to let go. When I came across The Black Jellybeans, it felt like one of those rare stories that carries both imagination and heart. As Maya Angelou said, “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” Yours feels like one that truly needed to be told.

The way you wove humor, historical texture, and the mystical into Jim Eberton’s world, especially against the backdrop of 1906 Baltimore, genuinely resonated with me. It’s not just an inventive historical story; it’s a clever, layered reflection on identity, class, and humanity, all wrapped in your signature wit.

Warmly,

Stephen

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Clara J Sinclair

Dear Jackson Tel,

I recently came across The Black Jellybeans – Episode One, and what immediately captured my attention was the daring clarity of its premise and its historical courage. Set in 1906 Jim Crow–era Baltimore, your story confronts one of the most volatile questions of the time and of American history itself: identity. Jim Eberton’s discovery that he is part Black is not treated as a twist for shock value, but as a seismic revelation that forces both personal reckoning and social collision. From the very first pages, the novel establishes itself as bold, purposeful, and unafraid.

What makes this opening episode especially compelling is how you anchor profound thematic weight within urgent, moment-to-moment stakes. Jim is not afforded the luxury of contemplation. As heir to a powerful family fortune, he must secure a critical investment from rye whiskey tycoon Craig “Money Bags” Bigg or face immediate financial collapse. The ticking clock of the afternoon deadline creates narrative propulsion, while the cascade of disruption, the missing chauffeur, the delayed motorcar, the absent caterers, and the scrutiny of the Baltimore police mirrors Jim’s internal unraveling. Order, privilege, and certainty are slipping away all at once.

The brilliance of Episode One lies in this dual tension: external chaos and internal awakening. Jim’s meticulous planning and social standing cannot shield him from a society rigidly structured by race, nor from the question echoing at the center of the book: Who am I truly? By placing this question within the unforgiving realities of Jim Crow Baltimore, you transform identity into a matter of survival, reputation, and power. The story feels theatrical yet intimate, historical yet urgently modern, making it especially resonant for readers drawn to socially conscious historical fiction.

As the first installment in The Black Jellybeans, this episode functions exactly as a strong opening should: it establishes tone, stakes, and moral direction while compelling readers to continue.

Warm regards,

Clara J. Sinclair

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Rachel C. Warren

Hi Jackson,

Some books take themselves very seriously. Others invite you in, hand you a jellybean, and say, “Come along, this will be strange and wonderful.” The Black Jellybeans (Episode One) felt very much like the second kind.

What caught me wasn’t just the 1890s Baltimore setting — though that’s richly alive — but the wit threaded through it all. The way humor, history, and humanity coexist without canceling each other out. Jim Eberton’s restless pull toward freedom, the quirky digressions, the voice, it all feels like a story that wants to be talked about, not just read quietly and shelved.

I kept thinking this would spark fantastic book club conversations, especially for readers who love historical fiction that doesn’t behave exactly as it’s “supposed” to.

Your episodic format and whimsical tone feel like a natural fit for literary and historical fiction book clubs, readers who enjoy humor woven into history, groups that love character, voice, and thoughtful detours, and clubs that enjoy reading something a little unexpected

Either way, thank you for writing something so inventive — my mental “1890s Baltimore” now has jellybeans in it.

Warmly,

Rachel

P.S. I have a feeling this is one of those stories readers finish and immediately say, “Okay, let’s talk about that.”

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Ashley Vasquez

Hi Mr. Tel,

Your book, The Black Jellybeans: Episode One, immediately caught my attention. The witty, whimsical storytelling, the historical depth, and the sharp humor create a world that feels both nostalgic and delightfully unpredictable. Jim Eberton’s journey in 1906 Baltimore, his complicated secrets, and the colorful cast around him make this opening episode not just entertaining but remarkably thought-provoking.

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