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Inside My Soul: Poetry from the Heart

by Shirley A. Jackson

156 pages; quality trade paperback (softcover); catalogue #04-2014; ISBN 1-4120-4207-0; US$16.50, C$21.00, EUR13.65, £9.46

I am totally exposing myself to my family, and to the world. When I realized I was not alone with my demons I decided to share my fate with others.

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About the Book      About the Author      Excerpts      Catalogue Information

About the Book

Inside my Soul is an outpouring of emotions. I had to finally face my demons in order to hold on to my sanity. I chose to stop running from my fears. I found my strength in God.

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About the Author

Shirley A. Jackson was born at General Hospital in Los Angeles, California in 1948, the second daughter to Rayfield and Bessie Tucker. Shirley has three sisters: Gloria, Rose and Anita, and two brothers: Charles and Rayfield.

After her parents separated they were forced to move to Imperial Courts projects in Watts, California where she attended Markham Jr. High School. Her mother's financial struggles were overnearing after the separation. Shirley went to live with her father in Fairbanks, Alaska. That's when Shirley's life changed forever. After an unbearable reunion with her father she returned home to her mother in Los Angeles, California.

Shirley married her childhood sweetheart after high school. She now has five children; two daughters LaTasha and Armina. Three sons, Harold, Avery and DarVale. After marital problems she moved to Richmond California to continue her education at Contra Costa College. Upon completing the general business course at Contra Costa she went into the word processing program at Merritt College in Oakland. Upon moving to San Jose she contunied her education at Mission College in Santa Clara. She went on to West Valley College for their small business training. Upon completing the small business course she started a small income tax service.

Upon raising her children, she decided to pursue her dream of becoming a writer. Her love of poetry was her inspiration. In July of 1995 she wrote a poem called "Mr. President". This poem was dedicated to President Bill Clinton. On September 7, 1995 she decided to send it to him. October 3, 1995 President Clinton wrote her a letter thanking her for sharing the poem with him.

Her first collection of poems was copywritten under the title Innersanction, Memoirs through Poetry. "Desensitized Minds" a poem geared to recapture our youth in trouble was published in City Flight Magazine under Street Poetry. To her amazement she was featured on the same page with an article about her best friend's son Andre Young. Becoming a contributing writer to this magazine gave her the boost she needed to keep going after her dream. In 1998 a country western singer (Bryan Jon) ask her to write lyrics for his upcoming album. The first song lyrics written are titled "Hanging Up My Hat". The second song lyrics written is titled "Cowboy Without a Song." Her words never stop flowing her pen never runs out of ink.

Shirley currently lives in San Jose, California where she enjoys reading poetry and working in her flower garden. One of her favorite books of poetry is the Oxford Book of American Verse. Her dear neighbor Karl Steuber gave her this book as a gift. "The Raven" by Edgar Allen Poe is a poem that she loves to read over and over.

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Excerpts

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Catalogue Information

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