JPurpera is the author of the true-noir, Her Name Is Elaine, a historical thriller inspired by a true story about a women in her prime, who witnesses a crime, toppling her life. This tumultuous tale occurs with the changing industrial landscape of Buffalo, NY during 1969.
Elaine’s story stumbles upon a gritty reality once told by Sophocles’ in the Antigone against the backdrop of organized crime, the Vietnam war and Lake Erie.
JPurpera’s connection to the subject matter is evident; the character are family, which provides a uniquely intimate lens into the dynamics of the era and an unparalleled glimpse into a hidden world.
A graduate of the University at Buffalo, Jpurpera refined the craft by studying creative writing and poetry under the Robert Creeley, David Landrey and Jonathon Skinner.
A historian with a diverse professional background spanning nonprofit writing, website design, graphic design, and content creation founded Fairfield Small Press which champions the work of numerous poets, musicians, and artists through chapbooks and art-books.
Jpurpera also brings a wealth of research experience from time as a Research Assistant and Project Manager at Roswell Park Cancer Institute, digitizing an extensive historical collections and contributed to peer-reviewed publications.
A word archeologist, Jpurpera spends countless hours unearthing and preserving stories from Western New York’s past, a passion that deeply informs our lore. The meticulous research which draws from genealogical records, court documents, FBI files, and interviews, underpins the authenticity of these narratives. Jpurpera resides in Cefalu, Imagination.