Between the shelves of Books & Books at Coral Gables, Jessika Grewe Glover spent much of her teenage years while her mother worked multiple jobs.
She remembers attending her first book launch and picturing herself in the author’s place. With the release of her gothic fiction “Bromeliad House,” she returns to the same store for her first Miami book launch.
“It was a place that I found myself,” Glover said.
A Miami native and University of Miami graduate, Glover said college shaped both her work and her life.
“Miami was also a huge part of my life,” Glover said. “My mom worked there, my brother was a graduate and my husband and I met there.”
Now in her next book, follows Delphine, an architect working on the renovation of a decaying Florida estate. The main character begins seeing reflections of her loved ones before they die, creating a revulsion to mirrors.
According to Glover, gothic fiction often works as an allegory to generational trauma and mental health issues. In “Bromeliad House,” the crumbling estate reflects what people carry internally.
“It’s important to me to remove the taboo of talking about mental illness and disability,” Glover said. “We should bring it to life so that we can find better means of dealing with it.”
She said she wants her fiction to show that people can be productive members of society while still dealing with mental health issues.
Glover added that people tend to hide these struggles, something she hopes to challenge through her work. Art is another recurring element in Glover’s writing.
It has been present in her previous books, often through characters connected to creative fields. That influence continues in “Bromeliad House.”.
Glover said the novel is aimed at readers who appreciate art in everyday life, as well as those drawn to gothic fiction.
The book came together quickly once she developed the idea, working with music to move through the writing process. She completed the first draft in just a few months in 2024, the fastest she has written.
“I know these characters inside and out,” Glover said. “The story was easy to write because it felt like they were writing themselves.” She sold the manuscript to a publisher last May.
Glover said writing has been a constant in her life. She recalled traveling with her mother and writing poetry on anything she could find, including napkins.
“I don’t think I really chose it. It chose me,” Glover said.
She said she tried to move away from writing at times, but ultimately returned to who she is. Glover is currently working on three new manuscripts, with one ready to be picked up by a publisher.
For young writers, she emphasized the importance of discipline and experimentation. She said her discipline developed over time and encouraged writers to give themselves space to create and explore different approaches.
“Find out how you like to write and see what inspires you,” Glover said. “There’s a lot of failure in being creative, that’s how we grow and learn.”