An Interview with Sunday in the Park Author Jihan Hurse

Author and Oakland Volunteer Jihan Hurse will be giving an author talk at 3:45 p.m. during this year’s Sunday in the Park on September 25!

Oakland volunteer Jihan Hurse’s first published work, All is Well, is a touching selection of notes and letters that demonstrate a mother’s faith and extraordinary love for her daughter over the span of forty years. Her grandmother Hattie Hall’s poignant words combined with Hurse’s narrative convey compassion, encouragement, and comfort.

Oakland’s programming graduate research assistant Parker Hilley asked Hurse her feelings on being a first-time author and about her time as a volunteer with HOF.

How does it feel to cross-publishing your first novel off your bucket list?

It’s an awesome feeling to be now a “published” author. This accomplishment has been one of my goals and on my vision board since I was a child. Though, All is Well was not the book I intended to be my first book. I also write under a pseudonym, Jhoy Jean, and my original goal was to write a fiction novel. It was after reading my grandmother’s letters [that I decided to write All is Well]. I find them to be so compelling. They were so endearing and uplifting and I wanted to share them to encourage others.

Do you have plans for your next novel/writing endeavor?

I do want to go back to my original plan and publish a novel. My mom had several journals that I want to explore and possibly write another book about her as maybe a follow-up to All is Well.

What do you love most about Oakland?

I love how all the stories of Oakland’s residents collectively tell the story of Atlanta then and now. I find it fascinating that some of the stories continue to reflect the makeup of the city today.

If you could bring one person buried in Oakland back from the dead for a chat, who would it be and why?

Maynard Jackson. He had such a magnetic personality, and he had a great vantage point of all the changes the city went through [because of] his family ties and his leadership. Oakland is a great place to learn about the city and meet people who share the same passion for history.

If you’re interested in becoming a volunteer at Oakland, visit https://oaklandcemetery.com/volunteer for more information.