Information Booth: About this website
Artist Cafe Utica is an online arts center created for musicians, writers, and other artists in Utica, New York and the surrounding area. It is here to support local artists, including the site owner, novelist, arts writer, and writing teacher, Jess Szabo'
Artist Cafe Utica and all its content is the property of Jess Szabo' unless otherwise indicated with a byline, name, link, or other note. All work on this site is property of the artist who created it, and may not be copied, sold, or otherwise distributed without the owner's permission.
Frequently Asked….or.. Anticipated… Questions:
What is your involvement in the arts?
I write and self-publish my own novels, do writing for and about local artists on the website you’re reading right now, and teach writing skills to adults as a career. I sing as a hobby.
Do I have to be a professional artist for you to write for me?
No. Anyone who practices any art form on any level in and around Utica is a "Utica artist." I also write for and about Utica artists by writing for their spouses/partners, children, parents, and roommates
Haven’t I seen you someplace online before?
One of the services I offer is writing articles about the arts for media outlets. One of my steady projects is a column for a local paper, The Utica Phoenix, so you may have seen my name in a byline on someone else’s website or print newspaper.
There is also a woman online who looks exactly like me, down to the slight bumps above the nostrils and ultra pale complexion. I stumbled upon pictures of her while searching for a hair style that would look good on someone with a full figure and red hair. Most of her pics were blocked by my safe search filter, but the ones I saw… even I mistook unfiltered photos of her with straight hair and little to no makeup for pictures of me for a second. I had a few moments of “Who secretly took that picture? Wait…I never owned that outfit or had my hair quite like that…”
But this is not me. The only photos of me online are clean/safe for work.
Are you originally from Utica?
I wish! I moved here in 2017 to be near the love of my life, my fiance. It has become my hometown. But I am originally from a tiny borough in the Pittsburgh, PA area.
You mention singing. Are you available to sing at events?
Only if you want your customers or audience to get bored and leave after the first song or two. My voice is good enough for singing to be my hobby, but I have nothing anyone would want to listen to for very long. Please do reach out if you're looking for a singer, though. I know several singers who are much better than me, and would be happy to pass along your contact information.
What types of articles are you available to write?
All available articles can be found in the "Library" section of Artist Cafe Utica. These articles are offered free of charge to anyone who needs content for their page. To order custom work, visit "Jess' Desk" on this site.
Is there anything you won’t write?
As a follower of Jesus Christ, I do not tolerate the promotion of racism, violence, greed, homophobia, or transphobia. (And no, the Bible does not condemn homosexuality as we know it today. They had no concept of what a gay person was when it was written. They did, however, know about loving others and not judging). Discussing these issues is okay, but advocating hate and selfishness is not. You will not find that type of material here, or any pro new age work.
Who are your characters supposed to be? Are your novels about you and your family and friends?
The only character directly based on a real person is “Jenny.” She makes her first appearance in Mostly On the Internet. Jenny was created as a tribute to my sister, Jennifer Lynn (Jenny) Szabo, of blessed memory (1975-1990). Everyone else in my novels is a completely fictional character. Some details are borrowed from me and my life, some are things I have observed in others, and some are simply things that came to me while writing. The same is true about the plots of my novels. Some of the things that happen are based on things that happened to me. Others are based on research I have done on the issue the character faces. Never assume I am writing about real people or events when reading any of my novels.
Where do you get the material for the articles in the Library?
The articles are researched. Some of the research was done in my former career as a reporter. Some is done for current projects, or specifically for the article.
Are you still a reporter, or looking for work as a reporter?
No. I was a reporter from 2004 until early 2017 when I moved here to Utica, and decided to transition fully to a career in the arts. I feel no calling to return to that field.
You can quit your teaching job! I get paid to promote products I love. Would you like more information about joining my team?
Teaching writing is something I feel called to do. I am not trying to quit.
Does this mean you’ll have anti mlm content?
I removed the previous version of Artist Cafe Utica from the “anti mlm community” because I thought that movement had devolved into congratulating yourself for humiliating and bullying other people. I do sell Avon myself, so I can't be entirely anti-MLM. (They don't require a startup fee, and reps are not supposed to pressure people to sign up, but they are technically multilevel, since you can build a sales team.). At the same time, I urge extreme caution when dealing with most mlm companies. If you love the products and have a realistic view of the amount of work you'll need to put into it to meet whatever goals you set, go for it. Just don't believe anybody who claims you can make millions "just by having fun," and don't allow anyone to pressure you into buying pricey kits and boxes of inventory before you made a profit.
Can you put me in touch with a certain artist in Utica?
I am a teacher, novelist, and arts writer whose niche is "artists in the Utica area," not a manager, agent, promoter, venue owner or manager, or anyone else who can book acts or get an artist booked to play or read somewhere. If I know the person, I can pass along your contact information as a friend, but I cannot promise they'll return your message or work with you, and I will not give out anyone's contact information without their directly stated permission.
Do you work at Phoenix Media (Phoenix Radio and the Utica Phoenix)?
No. They are friends and clients. I am not an employee there. I write a regular monthly column for them titled "The Heat Beat: The music of Phoenix Radio and Beyond" as one of my freelance writing projects.
Do you work at MVCC...or one of the other area colleges or universities?
No. I work from home, for a university whose main campus is online. The university has asked us not to use their name to publicize our other work, so I leave the name off of my facebook site and this site. But I am a faculty member there. I teach classes in writing.
