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.”
****