Jessica Handler

Books by Jessica Handler

Explore Jessica Handler's thought-provoking themes and powerful narratives.

Invisible Sisters

One daughter’s moving account of illness, death, and the dissolution of her family.

Braving The Fire

"Braving the Fire" is the first book to provide a road map for the journey of writing honestly about grief and loss.

The Magnetic Girl

Set in a time of emerging electricity and heightened Spiritualism, "The Magnetic Girl" is an inspired novel about women's quest for political, cultural, and sexual presence.

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About Jessica

Jessica’s first book, the memoir Invisible Sisters, tells the story of her coming of age as the surviving “well sibling” of three sisters. Her second book, Braving The Fire: A Guide to Writing About Grief and Loss, is an innovative craft guide to writing well about heartbreak.

Her debut novel, The Magnetic Girl, imagines the history of the real-life nineteenth-century vaudeville sensation Lulu Hurst, and was honored with the 2020 Southern Book Prize.

Jessica earned her MFA from Queens University of Charlotte in North Carolina, and her B.S. from Emerson College in Boston. In a former career universe, she worked behind the scenes on television shows that you probably watched in the ‘80s and ‘90s. (Here’s a hint: can you name that tune?)

Honors and awards include multiple “Best American Essays” shortlists, a Kenyon Review Peter Taylor Nonfiction Fellowship, and writing residencies at The Hambidge Center in Rabun Gap, Georgia, the Newnan, Georgia “ArtsRez,” and elsewhere. As a teacher, she has served as the Ferrol Sams, Jr. Distinguished Writer in Residence at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia, and is currently a visiting faculty member at West Virginia Wesleyan College’s low-residency MFA, a member of the faculty at the Etowah Valley MFA at Reinhardt College in Waleska, Georgia, and an in-demand workshop leader at writers’ conferences worldwide.

She lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with her husband, novelist Mickey Dubrow, sometimes multiple cats, and a drum kit and guitar that she should play more often.

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Events

Join Jessica Handler for writing workshops, book signings, and engaging conversations with award-winning authors!

Aug 16, 2025

The Little Things: Exploring Sensory Detail to Bring Writing to Life

Your everyday life is filled with details: everything from the sound of a loved one’s laugh to the logo on a faded band t-shirt. The strategic use of specifics like these are how authors create characters and situations that readers can’t forget. In this prompt-driven generative webinar, we will explore how writing about sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell are key to bringing writing to life. We’ll look at examples from published work and try some of our own. This generative webinar is open to prose and poetry writers of all levels.

Link Register here >

Jan 22, 2026

Jan 25, 2026

John C. Campbell Folk School: Where the Story Begins: Turning Inspiration Into Prose

Do you have an idea for a novel or memoir but aren’t sure how to get started? Turn inspiration into written pages using practical techniques for developing plot, scene, character, and dialogue. We will write together with guided prompts, enjoy read-alouds of our work, and discuss published examples. An overview of the publishing landscape and tips to keep you writing will close out our time together. Join me and Mickey Dubrow for a weekend of writing inspiration!