Archive: Meet & Greet Authors (J)

Authors are listed alphabetically by LAST name beginning with J

*All the information/websites/links were current AT THE TIME OF INITIAL POSTING. As time passes, please be aware that the links provided might no longer be active.

Kenneth G. Jackson

Your Name: Kenneth G. Jackson

Pseudonym (if you use one): – ken Jackson –

Genre(s) of your work: Poetry

Titles/Year of Published Work(s):

100 Writings for a Modern World Vol. I – 2018
100 Writings for a Modern World Vol. II – 2023

Bio:
I grew up on a farm in IL, a family of 4 brothers and 2 sisters. My parents were church going Presbyterians which set my values. I am liberal minded though growing up among Republicans, but not the Republican Party of today. For example, my parents strongly supported civil rights. I write about current events, politics, social issues, spiritual issues, conflict, war, love, relationships, humor, nature, use satire and irony, down to earth, understandable poetry with strong imagery. I currently live in Elmhurst, IL, a western suburb of Chicago.

Why do you write in the genre that you do?
Comes naturally to me. Poetry comes to my in first lines and theme and then just usually falls out of me. The source has always been a huge mystery to me. Certainly a gift I am happy to have and share. Sounds like I am bragging but I actually am a quite humble person.

How has writing changed/altered your life?
Feel more centered, more purposeful.

Who are your favorite authors and why?
Too many to name. George Sanders, Neil Gaiman, Mark Twain. They write in an unusual creative style, deep thought, humor, big issues, great writing. Walt Whitman, Emily Dickenson, Carl Sandburg, Robert Frost, e.e. cummings; the poetry greats!

Do you believe that audiobooks are the wave of the future, more of a passing fad, or somewhere in between and why?
Not sure.

What have you found to be a good marketing tool? A bad one?
Just beginning my search. I have gone to many book fairs at libraries. Don’t sell that much but fun to meet others, both public and authors. My favorite thing to do at these is to write original poetry on the spot for willing attendees on any subject or photo they choose.

Do you believe writing should be censored – that some topics should remain taboo?
No. However inciting violence might be illegal.

What is your opinion of Trigger Warnings?

I think they are good.

Do you find that you sell better in person (at events) or through social media (like a personal blog, website, or Amazon)?
Really just beginning my writing marketplace/promotion journey. You are one of my starting points. Any and all suggestions welcomed. I still need to devise a website and get on Amazon. I have only presented at book fairs connected to libraries and read at some local open mikes.

Where can people find you and your work?
Kenneth Jackson, Facebook; contact me at gjaxnek@gmail.com. Until I can get my website up. And get on Amazon.

I will say that I am very good. Here is an example:

“Miraculous Someone

I met a little baby
who knew more than I knew
about the living essence
the brew she just ensued,
the teeming, moving aspect
of a million morning suns,
a newly-living, breathing,
miraculous someone.”

James V. “Jim” Jacobs

Name: James V. “Jim” Jacobs

Genre(s) of your work: Young Adult

Titles/Year of Published Work(s):

No Ordinary Season published by Father & Son

A Teacher’s Guide written for Voices of the Prairie Land published by the Mother Bickerdyke Historical Collectiond

A number of short stories and essays/articles.

Bio:

See my website: www.jimjacobswriter.com

Why do you write in the genre that you do?

Uh, well, several answers: (1) I taught students entering young adulthood. (2) My daughters and their struggles and triumphs inspired me. (3)  My emotional development stopped in high school.

How has writing changed/altered your life?

From the time I was a kid, something pestered me emotionally to put thoughts, stories, and ideas on paper. No, I can’t say that I like to write, rather I have to write. It has been a driving force in my life.

Who are your favorite authors and why?

Interestingly enough, my favorite writers are not YA authors. Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man is my favorite novel. James Baldwin was a very good novelist, but a great essayist. Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God is a brilliant and much underrated novel. I have enjoyed the mysteries of a little-known writer, Susan Van Kirk. I also like the late Philip Roth.

Do you believe that audiobooks are the wave of the future, more of a passing fad, or somewhere in between and why?

Gee, I don’t know. It seems to me that people still enjoy holding a book in their hands. Hopefully, audio books will be a companion or supplement to physical books. Considering that my daughter Nikki Jacobs (www.nikkijacobs.com) earns part of her living by reading for audiobook companies, I hope it is not a fad.

What is your opinion of mainstream/corporate bookstores?

Well, my publisher has gotten me into some Barnes & Nobles. My experiences varied from store to store, depending on the local management—great in a few, good enough in some, not so great in one. But I have had wonderful experiences, for the most part, in the small, privately-owned enterprises. Purely observationally and anecdotally, I think the big national chains are in trouble. It seems that the regional chains and the small local stores that cater to a regular customer base or specialize in a specific genre are the ones who are surviving—sometimes even thriving.

How much does personal experience play in your written work?

It’s a huge part. I take what I know, what I have witnessed, and what I have lived and then scrub, hammer, chisel, and sculpt all of these into a story that didn’t really happen, but is always truthful.

Do you believe writing should be censored – that some topics should remain taboo?

No, I am opposed to broad censorship of the written word. But some books are not suited to some audiences or reader groups. For example, I don’t believe an elementary school teacher should use the works of Anais Nin with her/his students. (An extreme example to demonstrate my opinion on censorship.) However, there is no reason adults should be kept from reading erotica, if they choose to do so.

Where can people find you and your work?

Amazon.com using this URL: https://tinyurl.com/ycnvxny5

www.jimjacobswriter.com

Some Barnes & Noble will order if not in stock

The Book Nook in Peoria, IL

The Book Rack in Davenport, IA

The Calico Cat in Galesburg, IL

The Wordsmith Book Shoppe in Galesburg, IL

6140Run in Galesburg, IL

www.jimjacobswriter.com

https://tinyurl.com/ycnvxny5

Facebook page is No Ordinary Season

Renee James

 Name: Renee James*

Pseudonym : Renee James*

*Renee James is my female identity and my pen name.

Genre(s) of your work:

Mystery/thriller

Titles/Year of Published Work(s):

Coming Out Can Be Murder (2012, Windy City Publishing)

Transition to Murder (2014, Magnus Books)

A Kind of Justice (2016, Oceanview Publishing)

Seven Suspects (October 2017, Oceanview Publishing)

Bio:

Renee James is the author of three mystery/thriller novels featuring Bobbi Logan, a transsexual woman with body issues and a penchant for stirring up trouble with bad people. She self-published her first novel, Coming Out Can Be Murder, in 2012 following a long career in magazine publishing. The book won book-of-the-year honors from the Chicago Writers Association and a bronze medal from ForeWord Reviews. She republished it with a plot change in 2014 as Transition to Murder.

Her second book, A Kind of Justice, was released by Oceanview Publishing in October 2016, and Oceanview will release her next book, Seven Suspects, in October 2017.

Why do you write in the genre that you do?

I like books with plots, so that led me to genre writing, and I favor the Mystery/Thriller genre because it lets me write about characters dealing with moral and ethical issues at times they are under severe stress. Because I emphasize character more than plot, I’m not exactly in the mainstream of either genre, but hopefully, I add some dimension to both.

How has writing changed/altered your life?

I’ve always been a writer, but the switch to fiction, circa 2010, was life changing in many ways. It gave me a huge new challenge to pursue—learning a new craft, and a difficult one at that. It gave me license to more fully explore my transgender identity—Renee James isn’t just a pen name, she is part of my identity. And maybe most of all, writing novels has brought me into the company of book people—other authors, agents, editors, reviewers, educators, and many others—and they are, collectively, the most welcoming and supportive people I’ve ever known.

Who are your favorite authors and why?

I grew up on John Steinbeck. I love emerging authors like Lori Radar-Day (The Day I Died is the best mystery I’ve read in years) and Rebecca Makkai (The Borrowers is wonderful literary fiction that dares to have a plot). I worship John Grisham’s story-telling genius, and I’m a fan of the big names in the Thriller and Mystery genres, though I tend to fade away after three or four books with the same hero.

What is your opinion of mainstream/corporate bookstores?

Writers aren’t supposed to admit such things, but my heart was broken when Borders shut down. My local store was a great place to browse, read, sip coffee, meet friends, and just inhale the aroma of books. Barnes & Noble is okay—corporate, not interested in authors like me, but less intimidating than Amazon. Amazon scares me, because of its overwhelming size, and because it already dictates pricing and seems destined to own the book market.

What do you hope your readers will take away from your work?

First and foremost, I hope they enjoy the read and find their time and money well spent with my book. After that, my great hope is, people come away from my books prepared to receive transgender people in their lives the way they would anyone else.

How much does personal experience play in your written work?

My first novel was an extension of a fictional diary I wrote when I was contemplating gender transition. I was imagining what my life would have been like if I had transitioned when I was in my thirties. The diary was fictional, but the conflicts, characters and scenes were mostly based on my personal experiences and those of my friends. Even in the subsequent books, my best characters and conflicts are drawn from what I’ve seen and heard in my own life.

How do you find the motivation to complete a book/story?

Actually, I don’t always complete a story. I have opening chapters for three or four books in my computer right now, waiting for me to feel like those characters would be good company for a year, give or take. Once I start, though, the story is mostly about the heroine, and I’m motivated to finish the book because that’s how I find out how things turn out for her.

What makes you NOT finish reading a book?

I need to be interested in at least one character and to have a sense of plot or conflict in the first forty pages or so. A lot of the books I put down fail in that regard, though I’ll add quickly that many of them are probably good books, they just didn’t ring my bell. The other thing that has started to offend me is over-the-top violence, especially in thrillers. It seems like the excesses of Hollywood have spilled over into print, and I sometimes get the feeling the author is using blood and gore to titillate an audience because it’s easier than developing a plot with at least one foot in reality.

Do you believe writing should be censored – that some topics should remain taboo?

We’ve tried censorship and it just doesn’t work. As a college student, I did a paper on Catcher in the Rye, which was widely censored because Holden Caulfield swore a lot. It was stupid to censor the book that defined an entire generation of readers, but that’s the thing with censorship—the people arrogant enough to think they know what the rest of us should read are people with no boundaries. I think the movie people have a reasonable compromise with the G-R-X rating system, but I don’t think that’s practical for books, given that we give birth to more than a million titles a year in the U.S. alone.

Any pet peeves in writing? In reading others’ work?

I’m old and crabby, so I have lots of peeves: the introduction of a blizzard of characters in a chapter, especially the first chapter; backstory dumps (we all do it—tell you more about what happened before the story started than we’re telling you about the story); naming frenzies (even the most minor, single-mention characters get names); meaningless description (if you’re going to tell me what someone is wearing, it should define their character or build mood or make me laugh or cry, but if you’re telling me because you just came from a class on description, I’ll scream!). Most of all, I hate reading my own work a year later, after everything has cooled off, and I can see all the things I should have done instead of what I did.

Where can people find you and your work?

My books are on all the comprehensive on-line bookselling sites like Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Indie Bound, and I have a very humble, home-made web page: reneejames-author.com.  The email contact form on my page comes directly to me, and I answer all non-junk emails. The best brick-and-mortar store to find my books—and hundreds of other great mysteries and thrillers—is Centuries and Sleuths in Forest Park, IL. If you’re in the area, you owe it to yourself to stop in there anyway—it’s a great store with a great staff.

Zeke Jarvis

Name:   Zeke Jarvis

Genre(s) of your work:  Fiction and Creative Nonfiction

Titles/Year of Published Work(s):

In A Family Way (short stories, Fomite Press), 2015

So Anyway… (creative nonfiction, Robocup Press), 2014

Lifelong Learning (short stories, About Editions) 2018

Bio:

Zeke Jarvis is a Professor of English at Eureka College. His work has appeared in Posit, KNOCK, and Moon City Review, among other places. His work has twice been nominated for a Pushcart Prize.

Why do you write in the genre that you do?

I feel like fiction lets you reflect on life, thinking about things in a new context in order to get a deeper understanding of them. For instance, in my short piece, “Breaking Point”, I imagine a person who gets hired to be a jerk until the client feels justified in yelling at him. While this job doesn’t exist, the story does give me a chance to think about the strange and arbitrary nature of when and how we’re polite, how we hold in anger, etc. So, by being weird on a literal level, we can be more honest and direct on a figurative level.

How has writing changed/altered your life?

It’s kept me from being handsome and popular (insert frowny face emoji here).

Who are your favorite authors and why?

I like both Aimee Bender and Kelly Link, because I feel like they have very distinctive visions. When I read their work, I think, “only this writer could have written this story”. That also makes the stories feel very personal. I also greatly admire Zadie Smith, because she’s able to take a lot of different elements and make them cohere. Cormac McCarthy shows a tremendous sense of discipline in his voice, understanding the “less is more” principle. Toni Morrison is bold, but her risks absolutely pay off.

What is your opinion of mainstream/corporate bookstores?

They’re frustrating, for sure, because they limit the breadth of work that the public sees. They also sell a lot of crap. That said, they can also pull people in to reading, and that’s a very important role.

What do you hope your readers will take away from your work?

A few moments of happiness and a more complex understanding of the world. If they have those two things, then I’d be honored.

How much does personal experience play in your written work?

It impacts it a lot, just not in a very literal way. My work looks at my most active anxieties, but it does so in an indirect way. I use metaphor to cloak where a concern came from, but the concerns or interests expressed in any story are deeply personal. For instance, in “Displays”, I look at a couple who takes their kids around a neighborhood to look at Christmas lights, but, as they do so, they also case the houses that they’re looking at. I’ve never had this experience, but the idea of trying to talk with one’s spouse “above the heads” of one’s kids is part of my lived experience. So, I take what I’ve lived through or what is bothering me, and I situate it in a parallel experience to think about it in a new light.

How do you find the motivation to complete a book/story?

Sheer terror. It keeps me from stopping.

What makes you NOT finish reading a book?

A lack of either energy or imagination. A reader has no obligation to a writer, and we all have many demands upon our time. Why waste it on uninspired fiction?

Do you believe writing should be censored – that some topics should remain taboo?

This is interesting, because I actually wrote an encyclopedia on banned books (Silenced in the Library). Books get challenged for absurd reasons (a Where’s Waldo book got challenged because one page featured a topless sunbather). I don’t think that they should be banned. I’m fine with labelling, giving readers a sense of the level of maturity that a reader should have, but outright banning is often the result of people who haven’t really thought about the context of a work, what it’s trying to examine or challenge.

Where can people find you and your work?

Zekedotjarvis.wordpress.com

@zekjar

https://www.facebook.com/zeke.jarvis.5

Also, just google my name!

L.B. Johnson

Your name:  L.B. Johnson

Pseudonym:  Brigid Johnson, L.B. Johnson

The genre of your Work:  Memoir, Young Adult, Coming of Age

 

Bio:

After 20 years as a commercial pilot and being really tired of being away from home for weeks every month, I followed in my Deputy Sheriff Mom’s footsteps and picked up a doctorate in Criminal Justice and now work in law enforcement. My husband and I live in Chicago with our two rescue Labrador Retrievers.   All of my books have been bestsellers on Amazon in their genre and I donate 100% of their sales to animal rescue and Search Dog Foundation.

 

Why do you write in the genre that you do? 

I’ve had a pretty interesting life, and lots of life stories to go with that. I’ve actually written 3 memoirs, all with different themes.  One deals with our love of pets and our grief on losing them, one deals with adoption, both two and four-legged (I am an adoptee and was a teen birth mom), and the third deals with becoming a commercial pilot back in a day when women weren’t encouraged to do that.  I could have said, “Mom and Dad, I’m joining a cult”, and it would have been met with more enthusiasm.

 

How has writing changed/altered your life? 

It’s been a healing process.  I wrote my first book “The Book of Barkley, Love and Life Through the Eyes of a Labrador Retriever” when I lost my beloved furry best friend 3 weeks before losing my only brother, my human best friend, both to sudden, aggressive cancers.  Writing our life story really did help me heal and it’s kept my brother’s memory alive for my 99-year-old Dad who has mild dementia. It’s also made me a little more extroverted.  I’ve twice won the Reader’s Favorite International Book Award and to go to Miami for the huge awards gathering with so many great authors was not something I’d typically do, I’m very much an introvert off the job, but it was awesome.

 

Who are your favorite authors and why? 

I love John L. Moore, who writes contemporary Western fiction from his cattle ranch in Montana and J.L. Curtis who has written the Gray Man Series about a retired Texas Sheriff that still fights crime even as his body has to get used to old age.

 

What is your opinion of mainstream/corporate bookstores?   

I’m pleased that Barnes and Noble and Waterstones in the UK have carried my books, but honestly, the majority of my sales are through Amazon. I do have to tell a funny story about a corporate bookstore.  My husband was in one while on a business trip and saw my first book with its own display (it had gone to #1 at Amazon).  There was a sign that said, “also by this author” with another book laid out there.  But I hadn’t finished my second book yet.  It was another book by a Dr.  L.B. Johnson – On Erectile Dysfunction!  My publisher had to make a quick phone call to them!

 

How much does personal experience play in your written work? 

Well, since 3 out of 5 books are Memoir, I’d say a lot!   Which leads me to that one-star review where someone said: “the author just talks about herself”.

 

What motivates you to complete your writing? 

I love that my 99-year-old Dad re-reads my books over and over. I worked hard to finish my last book “True Course – Lessons from a Life Aloft” before he leaves us.  He loved it. I also like that I can use the sales to help the smaller animal rescues throughout the US that normally don’t get a lot of funding.

 

Do you believe that writing should be censored? 

I believe in free speech, but I also believe that if it’s something I personally find offensive, I can just quietly put it aside.

 

Where can people find you and your work?

www.lbjohnsonauthor.blogspot.com and  https://twitter.com/LBJohnson8

The books are available online at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Shawna Johnson

Name: Shawna Johnson

Genre: Mystery Fiction

Title of your work:

The Detective’s Daughter (October 2023)

Bio:

Hi, I’m Shawna Johnson from Illinois. I’m 26 and I’ve been writing and creating stories for most of my life. My mind has been overflowing with ideas for as long as I can remember, even creating some stories that scared me. When I’m not writing you can find me walking my dog Willa or geeking out over my favorite fandoms. I love to go to fandom events such as comic cons. Love spending time with my family and friends. You will never find me without music in the background of my life.

Why do you write in the genre that you do?

I write mystery novels because I’ve always loved to dive deep into the world of detective’s and the adrenaline. I grew up watching a lot of cop dramas as well. So I do believe that was ingrained in me from an early age. It was something my family and I could all enjoy together and have that edge of your seat feeling. I’ve been writing for most of my life, so to me it’s been a part of me forever. Yet, when I’m not writing I do find my days a bit darker. The joy it brings me shines through my everyday life.

Who are your favorite authors and why?

April Henry is a role model of mine. The way she writes is so fast paced and keeps you flipping the pages no matter where you are, the beach, a car or even a plane. In fact that is what I did with the first book I read from her. I finished it on the plane home from my family vacation a few years back.

Do you believe that audiobooks are the wave of the future, more of a passing fad, or somewhere in between and why?

Yes, I believe in audio books. I enjoy listening to them while I walk my dog. With people’s busy schedule, I find it extremely helpful to accomplish two things at once.

What have you found to be a good marketing tool? A bad one?

Social media I find to be a helpful marketing tool, helping me inform readers of my events and new updates on my novels. In my opinion, marketing is very important no matter what platform is in question.

Do you believe writing should be censored – that some topics should remain taboo?

I feel like it all depends on the subject matter. Personally, I feel like the freedom to write about reality is so important.

What is your opinion of Trigger Warnings?

My opinion on Trigger Warnings is that they are very important in some situations where very serious topics are concerned, to warn readers who might not be ready for that strong content.

Do you find that you sell better in person (at events) or through social media (like a personal blog, website, or Amazon)?

So far I’ve been very lucky to have done so well at events. I have had some sales on Amazon and through word of mouth.

Where can people find you and your work?

I can be found on my Facebook page: The Detective’s Daughter.

Also, on Amazon where you can check out my novel: The Detective’s Daughter

Toni Johnson

Your Name: Toni Johnson

Genre(s) of your work: I write all sorts of sci-fi and fantasy. Tales of the Automazombs is light steampunk and horror.

Titles/Year of Published Work(s):

Tales of the Automazombs: A Desperate Plan (2017)

Tales of the Automazombs: A Darker Road (2018)

You can also read my short stories in the January 2017 issue of Devolution Z and the May 2018 issue of Electric Spec.

Bio:

Toni Johnson is an illustrator as well as an author of science fiction and fantasy. She lives deep in a forest in Chicagoland with her husband and daughter, having grand adventures with imaginary monsters.

Why do you write in the genre that you do?

I definitely write what I read. Stories of monsters and strange lands have always been my favorite. They wrap real world issues, both societal and personal, in a layer of the fantastic. I like that a fun adventure can also change someone’s perspective.

How has writing changed/altered your life?

Well, I drink a lot more coffee. I’m my own boss when I write, so I’ve had to figure out what setup helps me get the most words on the page in a day. For me, that’s the local coffeeshop in the morning.

Who are your favorite authors and why?

Douglas Adams’ work holds a special place in my heart. I grew up reading the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (and watching the TV mini-series on VHS over and over until the tape died). I love his humor. I’m also a huge fan of the recently-ended Memoirs of Lady Trent series by Marie Brennan. The descriptions of dragons and overall concept hooked me immediately. It’s like if Charles Darwin was a woman and studied dragons instead of finches.

What is your opinion of mainstream/corporate bookstores?

I prefer small independent bookstores, for that connection to the community, but if a place helps people find a book they love, I’m all for it.

What do you hope your readers will take away from your work?

At its core, Tales of the Automazombs is about perseverance. There’s this awful plague that seems unstoppable and all of these smaller more intimate problems in each short story. But people adapt, they fight back, they survive however they can.

How much does personal experience play in your written work?

That’s part of write what you know. Everything I’ve experienced gets filed away in my brain for later use. Places I’ve been, the characteristics and mannerisms of people I’ve met, even aspects of myself all get mixed together to create something new.

How do you find the motivation to complete a book/story?

Finishing projects has been a lifelong struggle. Sometimes I’ll look back on the times I failed to complete a work and use that to push myself forward. But there are times that not finishing is the right way to go. I’ve learned that when I lose passion for a story, it’s often because I subconsciously know that some part of it isn’t quite right. Those stories go on a shelf until the solution presents itself.

Where can people find you and your work?

You can buy the first two Tales of the Automazombs books on Amazon. My author page is https://www.amazon.com/Toni-Johnson/e/B005CRXA80/

Tales of the Automazombs also has its own page with extra stories, short comics, a map, and other worldbuilding tidbits. https://automazombs.com/

I’m on twitter @tonijdotcom and my blog is https://tonij.com/

Brian R. Johnston

Name: Brian R. Johnston

Genre(s) of your work: Nonfiction

Titles/Year of Published Work(s):

The Art of Being a Baseball Fan (2016)

Bio: 

Brian R. Johnston lives in St. Joseph, MI with his wife and two children. He is the author of the book, The Art of Being a Baseball Fan, and is also a contributor to the Wrigleyville Nation website, Public Libraries Online, Windy City Reviews, and the Herald Palladium newspaper in Southwest Michigan. In addition, Brian has over a decade of experience working in public libraries.

Why do you write in the genre that you do?

I write nonfiction because I like to observe the world around me, reflect on it, and express what I am thinking. I’ve identified that as my niche in the big sea of writing that is out there. There are far more new authors trying to write fiction than those trying to write nonfiction, and while I think it’s great that so many people write fiction, I see a need for nonfiction that I want to fulfill. I once heard a speaker at a conference say that the key to writing a good book is to identify the book that you want to read but that nobody has written yet. It’s one of the best pieces of advice for aspiring authors that I have ever heard. Just writing a book doesn’t automatically create demand for it. You have to find a demand for something, then write the book.

How has writing changed/altered your life?

Writing is my way of expressing myself. I always score on the far introvert part of the scale on any personality test I take. I’m not a talker. I need to write because I need to think and reflect before saying what I want. Some people do that through speaking, and that’s great. We need those people. I’m just not one of them.

One unexpected benefit of all the writing I’ve done over the past few years is that it has allowed me to capture a specific moment in my life. Some people do that through photography, including my wife. I do it through writing. I can go back later and read what I was thinking and to see how far I’ve come since then. I recently was reading through parts of my book (written in 2015) and identified several things I’d change about it. But I’m not going to edit or re-release it, because the point of the book was to capture my feelings at that time in my life. To go back and change it now would defeat the point of writing it.

Who are your favorite authors and why?

I don’t have a favorite author, but I like reading mostly nonfiction. History and sports are my favorite topics, but I’m open to others. I like reading books that both are entertaining and from which I can learn something valuable.

What is your opinion of mainstream/corporate bookstores?

When you go to one of those big bookstores, you’ll find the shelves mostly filled with the same authors that everyone knows about. It’s the same with publishing houses. They go with what’s familiar because they know that’s what will sell. A couple years ago, I heard a speaker at a conference say that change comes from the fringes, not the mainstream. New voices have a hard time breaking through in the writing industry, which is a shame because for our society to evolve, we need to give as many new authors as possible a chance. Instead, we keep giving all the same types of authors our room on the shelves. It is a mission of mine to help new authors get their start, because I’ve been in that position (and still am in a way) and know how difficult it is. Thankfully, there are more ways than ever today for writers to make their own break through self-publishing. But it’s still an uphill battle.

What do you hope your readers will take away from your work?

My goal is always for the reader to think about the world in a new way, whether it’s through a short Facebook post or through reading my book. For me, writing is not just about entertainment. It’s my way of contributing to the world and prompting others to think. Even though my book is about baseball, I believe that fans and non-fans alike can take something from it.

How much does personal experience play in your written work?

For me, it’s critical. When I’m about to write something, I ask myself, “What can I say about this topic that no one else has said? How does my point of view offer a new perspective, even on a topic that we already know a lot about?” If I can’t answer either of those questions, then why should I expect anyone to read what I wrote?

How do you find the motivation to complete a book/story?

In both writing and in reading someone else’s work, it’s a sense of accomplishment. I like knowing that I started something and saw it through, even when obstacles emerged. Two years after releasing my first book, I’m still proud of myself. It took ten months and a lot of effort to finish it, and now that I’ve proved to myself that I can do it, I have motivation to do more writing and to start a second book, which I hope to do this year.

What makes you NOT finish reading a book?

It’s not often that I don’t finish a book. When I don’t, it’s because I’m not learning what I was expecting or the writing doesn’t bring the subject to life in the way it should. Whenever I’m considering reading something, I always check out the reviews, paying particular attention to the quality of writing and whether the author gave the subject a fair treatment before starting to read. It takes a little time, but I know I’ve made up for it many times over by not reading something that I wouldn’t enjoy or that wouldn’t be beneficial.

Do you believe writing should be censored – that some topics should remain taboo?

There’s far too much to be said about this topic to adequately address it here, but for now let me say this: We all need to have respect for each other’s writing. Unless the publication of a writing causes a direct and immediate threat to people’s lives – which is often hard to prove – then it should not be censored by any government body. If you don’t like what someone else is writing, then don’t read it! You can even take the time to counter it with a work of your own. But don’t try to use the force of law to tell someone else that they can’t read something. The more we share our ideas with each other, the better off that all of us are.

But respecting others’ views is a two-way street. If someone does not want to read or see something that goes against their moral, political, religious, or other views, don’t try to force your views on them, either. Just as I have the right to read whatever I want, I have just as much right to not have to see it. Having an open mind doesn’t mean that we all have to embrace everyone’s point of view. Instead, it means that we should give each person a chance to express themselves and let everyone else make their own decision of whether to accept it or not. There is far too much intolerance from all sides today, and it’s a shame.

Any pet peeves in writing? In reading others’ work?

There are a lot of things to which I pay attention in writing, but I will mention two here. One is tightening up language. It drives me crazy when someone uses twenty words to say what could easily be said in ten. Adverbs, in particular, are overused even by professionals. More words don’t always make the author’s point clearer. In fact, too many words can bog down an otherwise great piece of work and make it less memorable to the reader.

The other thing I’ll mention is closed-minded writing. If you’re making an argument, and you either intentionally leave out facts that harm your case or otherwise fail to address them, you’re doing a disservice to yourself and your readers. A lot of authors do this, especially when writing about controversial issues, but I suppose that’s the purpose of living in a free society. We give everyone a chance to express their point of view and to hold each other accountable.

 

Where can people find you and your work?

Rysheem Anthony Jones

Your Name: Rysheem Anthony Jones

Genre(s) of your work: Nonfiction, Urban, Romance, Autobiography, Prison

Titles/Year of Published Work(s):

2016, 2022 & 2024

Bio:

I grew up in Brooklyn, New York as the oldest brother to three younger ones. In 2000 my mother relocated to North Carolina where I finished high school and graduated from college. As a teenager I enjoyed writing poetry and keeping a daily journal. I later on turned that journal into an Autobiography. I currently teach for a Community College and recently published and released my fifth book titled Confession Of A Grown Man. That book is Based on True Events.

Why do you write in the genre that you do?

I enjoy writing in all genre that is what truly makes me a different type of author. It’s like a chef that can only cook breakfast, but not a dinner menu. I love being versatile that is what separates me from others.

How has writing changed/altered your life?

Writing to me has been very therapeutic. Writing has giving me purpose with the ability to tell a tale from my perspective that the audience can relate to.

Who are your favorite authors and why?

Growing up to be honest I used to enjoy reading Goosebumps books. Learning how each book was different but yet similar in context had my mind wondering. From there I started reading all types of books. I don’t have a favorite book or author I pay homage to all authors.

Do you believe that audiobooks are the wave of the future, more of a passing fad, or somewhere in between and why?

Audiobooks to me can be beneficial for many reasons. As you commuting to work you can have an audiobook playing. While you’re at work you can have an audiobook playing. Audiobooks allows you to be hands free answer listen with your mind. Your mind can take you places your body can’t.

What have you found to be a good marketing tool? A bad one?

Social media is a great marketing tool. However, social media can also become your downfall as well with marketing. Everyone uses social media differently, but with the right marketing coach I feel like social media can soar your book to breaking records.

Do you believe writing should be censored – that some topics should remain taboo?

No. writing can be a source of an outlet. Some people express themselves better with writing than speaking. A pen and paper can be more powerful than your tongue.

What is your opinion of Trigger Warnings?

Anything can become a Trigger. However, it’s up to you to fire the gun. Most topics such as

religion, politics and even sports can become a Trigger Warning. It’s all up to you and how you approach it.

Do you find that you sell better in person (at events) or through social media (like a personal blog, website, or Amazon)?

I have not had the opportunity or pleasure to sell my books at an event, but my day is coming. I love people so for me I would love to sell in person rather than relying on the internet.

Where can people find you and your work?

I have an Instagram and Facebook account so people can reach me there.

 Mr. Jones Book Collection is my Facebook book page.

My Life Of Love And Pain

What Is Love

Blood Will Always Be Thicker Than Water

Behind The Fence

Confession Of A Grown Man

Those are all my five books and counting that is ready for purchase on Amazon.