Charlotte student makes national publishing debut

NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY

Jasmine Bell of Charlotte and a senior at North Carolina A&T State University, is published in “You’ve Got a Place Here, Too,” and anthology of love stories set at historically Black colleges and universities.

North Carolina A&T State University senior Jasmine Bell is making her mark as an author.

Bell, a Cato Middle College graduate and 2022 Post Top Senior, is a contributor to “You’ve Got a Place Here, Too,” an anthology of love stories set at historically Black colleges and universities. Edited by “Love Radio” author Ebony LaDelle, the collection will be published by Penguin Random House.

The anthology is set for release Aug. 12.

Bell, an honors English creative writing major, highlighted the connections made during the HBCU experience, emphasizing the evolution of friendships and campus support.

“I am incredibly proud to represent not only HBCUs as a whole but specifically A&T,” Bell said in a statement. “I’m excited to be part of a collection of stories that will all encapsulate different experiences, but at the heart of it all, it’s about how we are part of communities that see and understand us, and that we can find love within that.”

In Bell’s portion of the anthology, called “Sunset Sips,” she writes about a character wrestling with the challenges of vulnerability and expressing true feelings. It results in a dating mishap and a pivotal moment in the story.  

“My character, Piper, faces the challenge of putting herself out there and realizing that she must take risks if she ever wants to experience the love she desires,” said Bell. … “The most challenging part of developing my writing piece … was using short words. I’m used to expanding my writing into full-length novels, so I really had to hone in on my skills and embrace the short story format.”

Bell sought feedback from writer friends and mentors and reviewed their suggestions to make changes to the story. Their feedback, she said, helped her focus on important elements of a short story – which was new format to Bell.

“I hope others can connect to those aspects throughout the story and feel not only hope but validation within themselves and their emotions,” she said.

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