Getting Back in Gear: Plans for the Future with My Writing Career and My Blog

Hey, everyone. JDE here.

As of late, I have been very busy with my side projects, so much so that I’ve haven’t gotten enough time or energy to check in on you guys outside of my “JDE on Medium” segments. Lately, I’ve been so caught up with life that it’s easy to forget about my main writer profile and platform regarding my stories on Amazon. And since it’s the summer rush, I’m very busy with keeping myself occupied with my side projects. But I hope to make some changes very soon as I get back on my feet after spending this weekend with a nasty sinus infection that required bed rest. Even now, I’m feeling stuffed up. Hopefully, I can start creating more blog posts in the future. 

Anyway, I’m still letting the rough draft of “The Beautifully Damned and the Eternally Blessed” rest a little before I get to work with revising and editing before it’s ready for the premiere on Amazon by this holiday season. My main goal for its premiere was originally before Thanksgiving, but I decided to wait until around Christmastime so I could get ready for yet another project from my “Vigilantes Among Us” series. All the same, I want to make sure that my first-ever adult-oriented murder mystery novel is going to be a game-changing experience since it’s likely to be very controversial in more ways than one. I told myself that one day I would write this novel no matter how scandalous the storyline may become and how it might put me in a negative spotlight. I’ve been playing it safe for the longest with family-friendly novellas. It’s time for me to shake things up while showcasing a different side of myself. You might love me or hate me for this, but I’m not backing down. Once the holiday season arrives and I launch this novel, I will be taking the next big leap in my writing career.

As for this blog, there will be some changes coming this fall. Even as I work on my side projects and getting ready to edit my mystery novel, I want to make sure that I enter a new chapter of my life once my birthday arrives and I let go of any and every inhibitions that keep me from my potential. I’ll come clean and say that I’m my worst enemy when it comes to being a creator at times. I strongly believe in the old saying “you’re only as good as your last work,” so I am constantly competing against myself to create something totally new in the literary world whether it’s for my eyes only or ready for the general population or even saved for a special audience in the future. It’s a challenge to get something out because I fear of failure as a writer, of having my grandfather being proven right of me being a writer is not a real career. I want to show him that I am a great artist of words no matter if it’s a success or a failure. But there are certain stories that I can’t show him since he’s a minister and my family’s from a faith-based community. So this year is when I’ll let go all the inhibitions and start coming clean with who I really am to you all. You might give me the hook or the ovation for it, but it is what it is and I am who I can only be. Love me or hate me for it.

With that said, I will be checking in as often as possible, but there are no guarantees at the moment other than the “JDE on Medium” segments. I love you guys so much and I will see you guys later this week!

Off-Grid and Coming Back Online: March Madness, Camp NaNoWriMo, and More (Why I Have Been AWOL)

Hey, y’all. It may be Easter/Resurrection Sunday for most of you guys, but I am recovering from a nasty March Madness hangover. And in case you’re wondering what’s been happening since the last post, I’ll gladly give y’all the 411 with my life.

For starters, the time change completely threw me off-balance both creatively and personally with sleep deprivation, lack of motivation, and even fighting the urge to quit writing while I was ahead. But it wasn’t until the Wednesday before last that told me to either get back in the game…or lose everything that I had gained so far. So, I decided to slowly yet gradually get back into the game of writing and being an artist. From working on the outline of my Camp NaNoWriMo project (which begins tomorrow) to even writing a blog about what it means to be vulnerable as a writer (which will be shared here tomorrow morning). I even wrapped up a few side projects that needed attention before I began writing my mystery novel for April. Heck, I just wrote this post for my author website to reaffirm my decision to be an author no matter what throws my way.

Anyway, I decided that it was now time to snap out of this lethargic funk and started getting back into the game. As you know, my newest addition to my “Vigilantes Among Us/Heart of Inferno” family “Mental Flames: The Burning Memories of Skylar McNeal” is now live on Amazon and available in ebook, paperback, and hardcover formats. I intend to update the “My Books” page (which is now known as the “Vigilantes Among Us/Heart of Inferno” webpage) in due time, but you can get my novella right now.

As for my planned project for April, “The Beautifully Damned and the Eternally Blessed” will be set for production all April long. I will tell you that it is set to be 30 chapters long and I will be publishing this during the holiday season after some time of letting the rough draft rest and then the editing process in September and October. And, I am going to warn you that I intend to take a walk on the wild side and showcase an edgier and grittier storyline regarding elements of scandals, secrets, and anything that could resemble something straight out of a soap opera. I’ll admit that I’m nervous about what I’ll be writing and even more so when I do publish it during the holiday season. But I told myself that this mystery novel has to be written and I needed to share a more…darker side of my writing style. Right now, I have a good outline set up with intentions to make room for going off-script and I’ll be sharing some weekly insights on this weblog of mine about my Camp NaNo journey as I plan to write this novel in 30 days (give or take a day or two).

To close things out, I am going to make sure that you guys get more out of my author weblog once April arrives with my “JDE on Medium” segments, my short stories and poems, and even snippets of my mystery novel’s rough draft. I can’t guarantee that I’ll be updating as often as I please because life does happen. But I want to try to regain my creative life once again while regaining my personal life. Sometimes you have to step back from the screens and press pause to be able to create something amazing. Even writers from Nora Roberts to Maya Angelou needed a break. Anyway, make sure to find me on social media and follow me on my social platforms so you won’t miss a thing. For now, I am out of here! Have a blessed Resurrection Sunday and I’ll see you tomorrow with my “JDE on Medium” segment!

Online Book Tour Day Four: “Totally Nerd-Tastic”

It’s Friday eve, my fine friends! And this online book tour for my “Vigilantes Among Us/Heart of Inferno” superhero teen fiction serials is coming to an end tomorrow, but not before I give you the fourth book of the “Vigilantes Among Us” series known as “Totally Nerd-Tastic: Loss, Change, and Recovery.” Take a look at this, folks!

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The second half of summer vacation is underway in the coastal town of Crystal Pointe; but Xavier’s not going to have it any easier, more so since he’s not only meeting his doppelganger of a teammate but also surprised by the arrival of his favorite godbrother Omarion Hardwick. Add in a family reunion with a few relatives moving in, and you can say that Xavier’s summer is supposed to be full of good surprises. But with his former main bully now escaped from prison and a journal entry from his late sister Coretta that details a tragic moment, Xavier’s summer vacation is going to need a lot of support and inner strength to help him prepare for what’s ahead. And folks, things won’t be easier for him, unless a hail-mary of a plan can finally set Riley Copeland right once and for all.

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“Totally Nerd-Tastic: Loss, Change, and Recovery” is now available to read on Amazon for $13.00/hardcover, and $9.99/paperback. and $6.99/ebook. But again, guys, you have to read the preceding books in order: “A Nerd among Heroes: The Memoir of Xavier Reeves,” “Nerd of Fire, Rebel of Ice,” and “The Nerd’s Symphony.” I am very meticulous about how I write this series of mine in order so people can understand what’s going on. All the same, you can get my books now, and make sure to leave a comment to let me know what you think. And if you get the ebook version, you can read it on your smartphone and/or tablet through the Kindle app (free on iOS and Android).

Tomorrow, it’s a quick recap for my ongoing books so far and what plans are in place for “Mental Flames: The Burning Revelations of Skylar McNeal (which will be published this month). Until tomorrow, have a Tremendous Thursday!

“JDE on Medium” Segment: Censorship, Art, and My Writing Career

The following blog post can be read on my Medium page. To read more of my content, click here.


Well, folks, March Madness has officially kicked off for this writer.


As the seasons change, I’m constantly surrounded by waves of change within others while I feel like everything for my life is the same. With my writing career, I feel like the more that I play the safer routes- keeping my unrestrained side in the background while sticking to safer topics for public appearances; the less that I am taken seriously as a creator. It’s like I have to dance to everyone else’s tune to make them happy while I have to put myself on hold. Even as I’m doing the April run of Camp NaNoWriMo; it’s like my inner censor wants me to remember my family’s values and how we’re brought up in church to stay in line with what’s expected of me.


It’s little wonder that I feel like I’m not getting any readers nowadays. It’s little wonder that I feel like I can only disguise myself though a pen name and tell stories the way I want to- stories that are forbidden and controversial, the same stories that your grandparents would warn you against reading and yet you read when everyone else is asleep at night. Those are the stories that I write on the sly and keep for my own eyes only or for a special audience in the future.


But this year, I want to try something different for a change, take a different route to show my future readers the true side of JDE. I might catch a lot of heat for doing this, but maybe I don’t want to be silenced by so many voices who think that I should write stories that make them happy or that are perfect for thier people yet never dare to read. I’m a writer AND an artist. Is it so wrong for me to want to step out of line once and a while and dare to be reckless? Is it really a crime to break away from monotony’s black-and-white laws to truly create a 4K Technicolor masterpiece and enjoy it? Or have we artists grown comfortable with staying in the lines and let the cynics and the self-righteous dictate what’s best for the bookshelves lately? With so much of this book banning and avoiding “woke” culture that’s going around, there’s no telling if we’ll end up being in jail for speaking against something that’s not “culture-friendly” or “conservative-appropriate.” And I’m speaking from experience as someone who feels as I’ve been judged for most of my life due to my eccentric ideas.


This year is when I want to truly try something different without feeling like I’m the main character from “The Scarlet Letter.” I want to create and publish tales where it can be okay to venture into the unknown, dabble into genres that can be taboo for some, write about characters with colorful backstories and lifestyles where it’s not right for the religious, and maybe use all of my unspoken words to finally create the masterpiece that truly reflects the unspoken rhapsody from my heart. If that’s too much to ask or if it’s a crime to be that kind of bold as an indie author and artist; then that’s on you because I just want to be me. Sue me if you must! My name is Jarrick D. Exum and I’m done being censored by my past, haters, and myself. And this is the start of showcasing my true self as an artist. This time around, I’m going to be unfiltered, unscripted, and unleashing my inner songs. So I hope you’re ready, because I’m sharing EVERYTHING with you about my creative writing journey and personal matters about me. Let’s go!


This spring, I’m going to go the distance with my journey as a content creator and sharing my more intimate side to you all as I deal with the words that I’ve left unspoken, my unwritten stories, and my deepest confessions. I might catch a lot of heat for doing this, but it’s time that I got real with all of you. This year…I’m going unscripted and off the prompts. This spring, it’s time for the “JDE on Medium” segment to get candid. So I hope you all join me for everything and anything about me. Until next time, my friends!

Online Book Tour Day One: “A Nerd among Heroes: The Memoir of Xavier Reeves”

Hello, fine friends! JDE here with a new week of the daily grind as I’m kicking off my “Vigilantes Among Us/Heart of Inferno” superhero teen-fiction serials today with “A Nerd Among Heroes: The Memoir of Xavier Reeves.” Here’s the book-cover summary from the story!

Xavier Bryshere Reeves is in need of a second chance. After being bullied by his older sister for most of his life and humiliated at his old school in Texas, his parents decided that a change of scenery is needed for their son and decided to move to Crystal Pointe, California, a town that’s home of second chances and new beginnings. As Xavier makes new friends and begins to come out of his shell, he is unaware of a life-changing journey that will soon set in stone his destiny. Come along with Xavier Reeves as his journey from a jaded and introverted nerd to a fire-wielding superhero set to be the harbinger of what’s to come.

“A Nerd Among Heroes: The Memoir of Xavier Reeves” is available for purchase on Amazon for $12.99/hardcover, $10.99/paperback, and $8.99/ebook) and the first  book of the “Vigilantes Among Us” book series featuring Xavier Reeves as the main character. Click on the link right now and get your copy of the first book right now. And if you get the ebook version and have the Kindle app on your smart device, you can read it right away! Make sure to leave a review and let me know what you think!

Tomorrow, I’m dropping the book-cover summary from “Nerd of Fire, Rebel of Ice (book two of the “Vigilantes Among Us” series)” alongside the pricing. And all this week, this will go forward until Friday when I do a review of all the books so far! Next spring, this online book tour will go on again- this time, when I’ll announce the summary and prices for “Mental Flames (book two of the “Heart of Inferno” spinoff trilogy).” So make sure to check me out on social media and get my books today so you won’t miss a thing! Until tomorrow, my fine friends, I hope you have a magnificent Monday!

March Madness: A Month of Plans, Preparations, and “Mental Flames”

Happy March Madness, fine friends! 

The last two months have been rather lackluster other than my blog posts from my Medium page (which will be known as “JDE on Medium” beginning today), so I am going to rectify that with some new developments that’s been made. First off, this month will be when “Mental Flames: The Burning Memories of Skylar McNeal (the second installment of my “Heart of Inferno” spinoff trilogy) will be launched, and during the Easter weekend, no less! And as of yesterday, I have officially finished the publication process for the book through Amazon KDP with the paperback, hardcover, and ebook versions formatted and ready to go. If all goes well, then you can expect to see the announcement for the ebook version that’s available for pre-ordering and the other two versions with the ebook version set to launch on Amazon on March 29th (Good Friday). 

On Monday, I will begin yet another online book tour featuring the books in the “Vigilantes Among Us/Heart of Inferno” superhero teen fiction series to recap you with the storylines so far. I want to make sure that you guys get a copy of all my books AND even gift copies to your superhero fan in your lives. So make sure to check me out on Amazon right now and be sure to follow me on social media (click on the “Links” page) so you won’t miss a thing.

Not only that, this month is when I get more personal about my writing career through my “JDE on Medium” segments that feature my candid look on my creative process and what it means to be a neurodivergent writer of color. I’m not going to lie, I felt like I hold myself back with these kind of posts and I think that it needs to be said regarding my creative outlook. So don’t be surprised when I start letting down my walls and show a more…deeper side of myself to you. This year is bound to be full of challenges for me as I continue my writing career and it’s time that I got real with you on this. All I ask of you is to never judge me on what I have to say because that’s how I usually feel when I try to put myself out there.

Finally, I’m going to share my journey for  the April run of Camp NaNoWriMo as I get things ready for the first draft of “The Beautifully Damned and the Eternally Blessed,” my first adult-themed mystery novel that’s going to take an edgier and realistic turn from my family-friendly series. I’ll showcase my feelings and thoughts while I get the outline all set while letting you know what to expect. This year is when I’ll be expanding my horizons and trying something different. Because sometimes, a writer has to set course for unchartered waters and take a walk on the wild side. And despite my inner censor telling me to play it safe and stick with what I know, I’m going to unleash my inner Mad Hatter and show you guys my version of Wonderland.

All that and more are coming your way for this month, and I intend to go the distance and then some! Get ready, folks, because you’re in for one wild ride. Until tomorrow, have a great weekend!