Elaine Jones lives a double life.
By day she's an English House Dining Hall card swiper, by night a published poet working out of a dorm room.
Jones read her works from her home base on Wednesday, Oct. 24, in the upper lounge of English House, to promote her new book of poetry, It's My Time.
It all started with a little wishful thinking.
While flipping through an issue of Vibe magazine in 1998, the now 49-year-old Jones saw an advertisement for a high school poetry contest. Her school days long behind her, Jones entered anyway and landed her piece in Thoughts and Dreams -- an anthology published by The Portrait Guild.
Throwing caution to the wind sparked her literary career.
"I started showing other people my work and they liked it," Jones said. "That encouraged me to write more."
Her agent, Pastor William E.Washington, opened the book signing with a moment of prayer as the crowed mumbled back in affirmation. He then thanked the student body for their support before introducing her as "God's poetic angel."
Jones was visibly moved as she began to speak. Fighting back tears, she told the crowd she would not read anywhere else but English House -- "her home."
"It was great that Penn offered her a venue like this," College freshman Joe Devietti said. "It was really big of them."
Between reading several poems and dispensing advice and encouragement, Jones told the story of her humble poetic beginnings.
Overall, students said they enjoyed the reading.
"I could tell that it was sincere," College freshman Eliot Sherman said. "It really came from the heart."
"I think it's important to support members of our community," added College freshman Matt Guilford. "Especially when you see them every single day and you don't know they have this creativity inside."
King's Court College House Dean Krimo Bokreta, who reserved the venue, was also on hand.
"Elaine is such a part of us that we don't need to be thanked," he said. "We should thank her."
Jones will continue her literary career with a children's book, Jessica's New Home, which comes out in time for Christmas. She also has a novel, The Jilted Lover, scheduled for Valentine's Day.
Her books, printed by Odyssey Book, are only available online at www.booksandprints.com.
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