About Portobello Novella


Having written my first book, thoughts turned to the cover design. I had the title long before I had written the first word. Thinking ahead, I knew I wanted to have my own brand, a potential imprint with an established publishing house one day. Luckily, my publisher MT Ink didn't seem to mind the idea. All I had to do was come up with a name. 

Anyone that knows me, knows that creatively I am never happier than when I am reinventing my persona for a girlband, or rebranding my next project. I was once in the music business (a subject for my memoir) where naming your band, your duo came with the territory. I seem to have hung on to the habit. 

Currently I am re-issuing spoken word poetry pamphlets when I was known as Jax Etta. In the music business I was Jacquie Jair and Pebbles and Chilli (Chilli & The Groovegangsters). You get the picture.

I was working on a street food market social media campaign when I got the idea to use Portobello - as prefix it was really popular on Instagram.  Then I thought it needed a literary theme or something abstract. 

Serendipity lead me to an article about the increase in popularity of the short story and flash fiction because of the commute and the time poor, by focusing on the 'novella'. Mary Shelley (Frankenstein) listed as one of the most famous author of the genre. It was then the eureka moment struck and Portobello Novella was born. 

Influenced by Tracey Emin's neon art I chose a font from Canva and voila! 

Did I mention that I happen to live nearby? I always had a thing for the area and it's cosmopolitan Bohemia vibe. The home of creativity, on a backdrop sourced from a rich history of activism and music, art and hardships at it's core. It was the home of the Nottinghill Carnival, which was how I came to find the place. Pretty special. A slum area before it was gentrified. The late 80s and into the 90's, there were young, edgy fashion designers and pop stars, punk and reggae dives. Too much of a rich history to touch on here. Every once in a while some old timer will tell you how it 'used to be' - such fascinating times, albeit romanticised. 

I have pledged to reference Portobello in all my work. Unlike anywhere else I have ever lived, this inspiring place has always felt like home. 


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