Photo by Shirin Tinati about the author
Jessica Maria Tuccelli
Filmmaker, Director, Actress, Novelist, and Author of Glow
Jessica Maria Tuccelli embodies the role of polymath.
As a sophomore at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Jessica Maria Tuccelli made the uncommon decision to leave the field of molecular biology for the social sciences. As the lone major in the Anthropology Department at one of the nation’s most prestigious scientific establishments, she joined a rarefied community of MIT students who defy academic convention in pursuit of a non-scientific vocation.
Tuccelli’s cinematography work includes over one hundred commercials, film shorts, and documentaries, most notably How Do You Spell God? (Emmy Award Winner for Outstanding Children’s Program,) America’s Children Remember 9/11, the Sundance Festival Film Festival Audience Favorite, Hoop Dreams, Sesame Street, Zoom, and Between the Lions.
For her directorial debut at the American Globe Theatre of the play Insomnia (written by fellow MIT alumnus, Patrick Gabridge), Tuccelli received the 2004 Merit Award for Outstanding Direction. Ms. Tuccelli’s production also garnered the Merit Awards for Best Play, Best Actress, and Audience Favorite.
Years performing in the theatre have made Tuccelli as dynamic and engaging as her novel, Glow, for which she spent three summers trekking the Georgia mountains, whilst absorbing local history, ghost stories, and folklore.
Jessica Maria Tuccelli splits her time between Rome and New York City, where she resides with her husband and daughter.
Featured Book
Glow
"Glow is a beautifully wrought debut novel about magic, nature, history and the undying bonds of mother love. Jessica Maria Tuccelli is a remarkable new writer to watch."
—Amy Greene, Author of Bloodroot
Speaking Topics
- Dusting off Bones and Reviving Ghosts: The Art of Research and Historical Fiction Writing
- From MIT to the Arts: Transformation of a Career
- The Mother and Daughter Bond: Surviving a Post-Partum Illness
View Topic Descriptions »
Speaking Topics — Jessica Maria Tuccelli
Dusting off Bones and Reviving Ghosts: The Art of Research and Historical Fiction Writing
People often ask how I made the past come alive in Glow. They want to know how to combine imagination and fact. How does one respect the past? When does one challenge it? How does one come to know a culture other than one’s own?
In this talk, I’ll reveal the hurdles I encountered in my research for Glow as well as the unexpected treasure troves, and offer guidance to future historical-fiction writers.
From MIT to the Arts: Transformation of a Career
When I left the field of molecular biology, I was halfway through my major at MIT. I had survived a classical mechanics exam that sent a fellow student out of the lecture hall in a fit of sobs—an impulse that shot threw myself when I looked down at the exam questions. Already, I had worked with the mysterious and now famed HeLa cells. Easily, I could give detailed analysis of the biochemical mechanisms that control mRNA translation. I enjoyed the challenge, I relished the knowledge, but I realized I had no passion for the application. A misfit amongst misfits, what does a former nerd do?
In this talk, I relate my journey and give the participant the inside scoop on the loveable yet intimidating data-filled walls of MIT, and aim to inspire those who have yet discovered a vocation or who are in transition.
The Mother and Daughter Bond: Surviving a Postpartum Illness
One of the themes I explore in Glow is the nature of the mother-daughter bond. In the final year of writing my novel, I gave birth to my first child. From the outside, I had two amazing joys: baby and book deal. But in reality, relentless anxiety rattled my mind, and each day was a fear-filled, illogical horror. Unbenownst to me, I suffered from a postpartum mood disorder. By the time I found help, I had gone nearly a year without meaningful sleep and suffered suicidal thoughts daily. Without the support of my mother, several amazing women, and my husband, I may not have survived.
An oft unspoken condition estimated to affect more than 1 of 5 women who give birth, I share my own journey—its unexpected starts and stops—to recovery.
Please contact us for booking requirements and availability.