Author Archives: Jessica Reidy

About Jessica Reidy

Jessica Reidy worked on her MFA in Fiction at Florida State University and holds a B.A. from Hollins University. Her work has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net, and has appeared in Narrative Magazine as Short Story of the Week, The Los Angeles Review, The Missouri Review, and other journals. She’s Managing Editor for VIDA: Women in the Literary Arts, Art Editor for The Southeast Review, Visiting Professor for the Cambridge Writers' Workshop retreats, Outreach Editor for Quail Bell Magazine, and works as an adjunct professor and a freelance editor and writer. She also teaches yoga and works her Romani (Gypsy) family trades, fortune telling, energy healing, and dancing. Jessica is currently writing her first novel set in post-WWII Paris about Coco Charbonneau, the half-Romani burlesque dancer and fortune teller of Zenith Circus, who becomes a Nazi hunter. Visit her online at www.jessicareidy.com.

Baxtalo Ederlezi!

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It’s Ederlezi, the Romani holiday of spring, renewal, & St George! It’s celebrated by singing, dancing, throwing flowers, & feasting (especially lamb). I’m going to be singing a rendition of the traditional song, Ederlezi, at the Massachusetts Poetry Festival with the Poetry Brothel tonight at Gulu-Gulu Cafe in Salem, MA. Doors open at 8:30 💐

Two of my favorite versions of “Ederlezi” are by this choir and Tatiana Eva Marie.

There’s a beautiful post about Ederlezi by Ivana Nikolić in Italian and English if you want to learn more. Paulina and I also dedicated a podcast episode to the holiday on Romanistan.

Even if you’re not at a festival, get yourself some flowers today, eat something delicious, connect with loved ones, listen to the songs, and make some wishes for springtime like seeds you plant and water in the sunshine. Baxtalo Ederlezi!🌷

Teaching!

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I’m teaching all of these classes this summer in-person at Deadwicks Ethereal Emporium, and if you are not local to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and you can register at https://www.pickwicksmercantile.com. I also sell recordings of all of these classes for $35 each, or you can have total access to every class I’ve ever taught at The Scholar Tier. Just message me if you want to purchase any recordings individually. 💜

Also, feel free to let me know in the comments what you would love me to teach, and I can make that happen. I’ve been playing with the idea of teaching a Patreon exclusive class for all tiers from time to time.

Thanks for being here 💜💜💜