Sometime . . . sometime ahead, one day (Introducing J.V. Sadler: An Indie Author Journey!)
|
Posted By: Jordann Sadler on July 03, 2026 In my academic study, I bring my whole self. I must explore every facet of my humanity, both shine and shadow. In the academie, I am Jordann Sadler, a PhD student incoming at Morgan State University who is rethinking the philosophical and political foundations of education towards radical and liberated futures. Simultaneously, I am J.V. Sadler. A multi-genre, horror surrealist who also dabbles in poetry. I hold both these parts of myself and they inform one another. When my mother showed me old ultrasound pictures of me developing inside her womb, I swear I could see a pen and paper inside there with me. My earliest memories were of writing, reading, and talking about literature. Once I reached middle school, I took time out of my day to open Toni Morrison’s "The Bluest Eye." Then, high school, it was "The Autobiography of Malcolm X." The educators in my life encouraged me to take my writing seriously. They saw in me what I could not yet see in myself. I’d like to think I was given a purpose when I plopped down to this dirt-filled Earth. I’m not quite sure the entire purpose but I am sure it does involve, somehow, my words. "Licking" saved me. 2023 and the post-college life isn’t what it’s chopped up to be. I had all these expectations about where I was supposed to be in life. Secondly, multiple mental health diagnoses explained with scary accuracy why I had been the way I was all my life. So much came up to the surface and, then, a deep, dangerous depression. A voice from inside my stomach—the gut—told me to write. And I obeyed it. From the midst of a deep depression, I birthed my first book in 2024: "Licking." "Licking" was a collection of macabre horror stories (with a few poems spread throughout), all taken from my dreamworld. I am more than a vivid dreamer, more than a lucid dreamer. I create entire new realities when I sleep. When I dream, I experience all my senses including taste and smell. During that time writing, I had been experiencing my nightmares from the outside as if watching a movie. In other words, my nightmares depicted these horrific scenes but they were not terrifying. In fact, I think my subconscious was showing me scripts to my stories scene-by-scene. "Licking," my self-published book, gave me the courage to keep on writing and keep on publishing. I didn’t need permission. My second project just had to be poetry. One day, while going through old computer files, I found some of my old poems from when I was a kid. Some of them, published in my high school’s literary magazine. Some, in newspaper articles. A lot, my eyes have only seen. The poems for "From My Eye To The Sky" came to me so quickly, inspired by seeing the work of a talented little girl me. I was able to publish the poetry collection that same year. On Juneteenth 2024, I self-published my personal and political poetry collection. It was an experiment in vulnerability. Admittedly, I took a long break from longer projects. One, because I returned to school to get my Master’s degree. And, second, the return on investment just wasn’t there. I felt that as powerful as folks said my work was and as much as I was “putting myself out there,” I was still unseen. I was losing money investing in my craft and investing in my art . . . at some point, I gotta get my bills paid. I focused on smaller projects; short stories that I could publish in journals and magazines. I published stories and poems here and there. But a fire would reignite thanks to an online Facebook community. I had joined a Facebook group for Black women horror writers and had a wild thought: Why don’t we do an anthology?! Well, two years later, published March 2026, "Mama Said: An Angels of Darkness Anthology"! Thanks to a planning team, ten great authors (nine, if you exclude me), and financial backing from Kickstarter donors, this all-Black women horror anthology was as beautiful as it was absolutely terrifying. I am so proud to have gathered all this talent from all of these authors into one project. Can I say, as much as I am proud, I am still feeling that same exhaustion that I had after publishing "Licking" and "From My Eye To The Sky." I am still advocating and fighting for my writing. Bills still gotta get paid (unfortunately). And I still feel that something is missing. I don’t know what that something is, but I hope one day my writing can guide me to it. Money would help too, *Gahlee*! J.V. Sadler is a name I hold with honor because it is mine. Jordann Sadler is a blossoming academic that I am proud to say that I have become her in full and entirely. So many miracles have come out of my indie writing journey. To anyone who has ever spoken to me about my writing, they have heard me say over again that writing has saved my life. But it is so difficult. But it is so hard to be Black with a dream. As my ancestors have said to me, “We said you had a purpose and a mission. We didn’t say it was gonna be easy.” Heard. So I must surround myself with love. We Black writers and Black dreamers find sunlight in the reflection of each other’s eyes and walk through valleys of shadow hand-in-hand. I will continue to write terrifying, horrific, disgusting, appalling, audacious, and vile stuff that I absolutely live for. But I do it out of so much love. So much love for myself and my people. It is love that led me to my studies and my creative writing. It is love that is going to lead me to wherever it is I’m supposed to be. Sometime . . . sometime ahead, one day. If you enjoyed this article, Join HBCU CONNECT today for similar content and opportunities via email! |
 |
Jordann Sadler
Teaching Assistant, Morgan State University Morgan State University class of 2031 Member Since June 2026 |
More From This Author
Latest Blogs
 |
2026 Lincoln Nautilus Black Label Were Serenity Meets LuxuryThe 2026 Lincoln Nautilus Black Label continues to define American luxury through comfort, elegance, and a quiet, refined driving experience. Lincoln sets the benchmark for introducing technology that ...more
Randi Payton • 95 Views • October 16th, 2026 |
 |
Do Putin and Netanyahu truly deserve ICC arrests for global justice?A photo showing Vladimir Putin, left, and Benjamin Netanyahu, right, side by side.
The International Criminal Court (ICC), for more than two decades, has stood as the world’s most recognized inst ...more
Joel Savage • 84 Views • October 16th, 2026 |
 |
How AI systems will outpace and replace traditional search engines globallyA futuristic digital interface showing AI systems analyzing global data streams, signifying Artificial Intelligence as a dominant search engine tool
Technology has always evolved faster than hu ...more
Joel Savage • 96 Views • October 15th, 2026 |
 |
Ole 30 EnrollmentTimber and Lumber specialist stay engaged, enlisted, and enrolled as scholar investment ! ...more
reginal schenck • 140 Views • October 14th, 2026 |
 |
Why the world focuses on Congo’s minerals while Ebola intensifiesPhoto: A Congolese health worker in protective gear walking through an Ebola treatment zone in eastern Congo, illustrating the worsening outbreak and global neglect.
The Ebola crisis in the Democra ...more
Joel Savage • 153 Views • October 14th, 2026 |
Popular Blogs
 |
Divorce in America in 2009 – What’s love got to do, got to do with it?
Join Brother Marcus and the cast and the crew of the Brother Marcus Show live this Sunday evening on February 1, 2009 @ 8:00 p.m. for another hot topic in our community! “Divorce in America in 2009 ...more
Brother Marcus! • 75,476,636 Views • January 27th, 2009 |
 |
VISINE ALERT!!!Seemingly innocent medication such as Visine eyedrops are used by people to concoct a mixture with similar effects as a date-rape drug.
When mixed with alcohol and taken orally, the eyedrops can l ...more
Siebra Muhammad • 122,720 Views • May 23rd, 2009 |
 |
"Chain Hang Low" check out the real meaning of the Lyrics!Recently there is a new artist out of Saint Louis that goes by the name JIBBS. Jibbs debut single "Chain hang low" has a history that most people are not aware of. The particular nursery rhyme that th ...more
Tyhesha Judge-Fogle • 81,705 Views • November 9th, 2006 |
 |
HBCU Marketplace Gifts: Divine 9 Premium Fraternity / Sorority Playing CardsVendor: Charles Jones
Item Price: $20.00
Price Includes Shipping: Yes - Shipping Included
Item Description:
Pantheon Series - Divine 9 - Premium Playing Cards (choose Gold Series or Silve ...more
Hija Chang • 64,730 Views • December 2nd, 2018 |
 |
Black College Student Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Kissing a White GirlAlbert N. Wilson, a former University of Kansas student, has been sentenced to 12 years in prison and a lifetime of probation after being convicted by an all-white jury of raping a white teen girl. Bu ...more
Roger Gates • 57,486 Views • June 4th, 2020 |
