Artist Diaries Presents: Author Monica Marie Jones

Monica Marie Jones is an author whose published works include The Ups and Downs of Being Round (Fiction/Self-Help), Taste My Soul (Poetry) and FLOSS (Urban Fiction).  She is a contributing author in Chicken Soup for the Girls Soul, New Directions for Youth Development, and 44th (A full color coffee table book about President Barack Obama that is a compilation of front page reprints of actual African-American published newspapers and poetry.)  She has also contributed to several publications and youth development training materials for the High/Scope Educational Research Foundation.  She has worked as a columnist and freelance writer for various publications and websites including the Michigan Front Page Newspaper and is an active member of the Motown Writer's Network where she is the host of her own show, “Marketing and Motivation Mondays with Monica Marie Jones” on the Michigan Literary Network Radio.
 
Monica received her Bachelor’s Degree and teaching certificate in Elementary Education from Eastern Michigan University. She also received her Masters of Social Work from the University of Michigan.
 
Monica is a youth development expert that does training and consultation for the Center for Youth Program Quality (a joint venture of the Forum for Youth Investment and The High/Scope Educational Research Foundation.) She is a professionally trained dancer and dance instructor that has danced with Gospel recording artists such as Dorinda Clark-Cole, in several venues around the United States, and a three-city tour in Japan with Kierra 'Ki-Ki' Sheard. 

Monica uses her gifts, talents and expertise to inform her work as a motivational speaker with a focus on topics including by not limited to self-esteem, empowering women and girls, fitness and wellness, and youth development.

Monica’s next novel, SWAG (Urban Fiction) will be released in September 2009. Her essay, “Don’t Wait for the Weight” and her poem, “Fat Girl” will be published in The Souls of Our Young Sisters: The Next Generation of Women Tell Their Stories, Overcome Their Challenges, and Heal Their Spirits (Souls of My Sisters Inc./Kensington Publishing Corp.) anthology in March 2010.

For more information visit her website at http://www.monicamariejones.com or email her monica@monicamariejones.com




Camille Kleidysz: Welcome to Artist Diaries! I was first introduced to you and your book “The Ups and Downs Of Being Round” on the author’s network Goodreads. And the title immediately caught my attention… I just had to know what your book was all about. Give us a brief synopsis of “The Ups and Downs of Being Round”?

Monica Marie Jones: The Ups and Downs of Being Round is a coming of age story about a girl who struggles throughout her life with issues of weight. Overweight as a child, Madison Jenson struggles with teasing and physical limitations until she loses the weight during her adolescent years. Just as she begins to enjoy life as a slim girl she gains the weight back during her college years. Finally, being fed up with being unhappily overweight, she loses it again as a young adult, but to her surprise she loses a lot more than just the weight and finds out that physical weight loss does not guarantee happiness.

 
Camille:  In addition to being an author you are also the host of “Marketing and Motivation Mondays with Monica Marie Jones” on the Michigan Literary Network Radio. Tell us about your literary show.

Monica Marie Jones: On Marketing and Motivation Monday's with Monica Marie Jones I teach listeners how to market their books, services and products on a tight budget or for FREE!
On each show I feature Book Marketing on a Budget tips, resources and interviews with authors, poets, journalists and marketing professionals who are making it happen. I also share tips on how to stay motivated when you feel yourself frustrated or losing momentum.  The show airs every second and fourth Monday at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/michiganliterarynetwork


 
Camille: You are also a professional trained dancer! And you have had the amazing opportunity to tour with Dorinda Clarke –Cole and Ki-Ki Sheard! What was that like? And how do you balance all of your gifts?

Monica Marie Jones: Just when I thought that my dancing career had come to an end, I was given the awesome opportunity to dance and travel with Evangelist Dorinda Clark-Cole.  It was an amazing and life changing experience.

Shortly thereafter I had the opportunity to audition to dance with Kierra "Ki-Ki" Sheard on her three city tour in Japan.  At the time Ki-Ki was only 19 years old and the other dancer was 18 years old.  I was 28 years old but I did not let that deter me.  I danced with the energy and passion of an 18 year old and I was chosen to go on the tour.  We did several concerts over ten days in Nagoya, Osaka, and Tokyo, Japan.

As my literary career continues to grow in leaps and bounds I have found it increasingly difficult to balance all of my gifts.  As a result, I have taken a leave of absence from dancing in order to focus on my writing and speaking.  I am still involved in the praise dance community by supporting and volunteering when I can.

 
 Camille: When did you first consider yourself a writer?
 
Monica Marie Jones: I first considered myself a writer when my short story, "Okay to Be Me" was chosen to be published in Chicken Soup for the Girls Soul in 2005.  I got a letter saying, "Congratulations! You are an author!!"  From that moment on I felt unstoppable.

Camille: Are experiences in your book based on someone you know, or events in your own life? 

Monica Marie Jones:The experiences in my book are based on my life and my observations of others.  I have always struggled with gaining and losing weight and self-esteem issues.  During the process of writing the book I researched health, fitness and weight loss.  As a result I made a healthy lifestyle change and lost 65 pounds and over 50 inches.  I took the lessons that I learned and weaved them throughout the book.



Camille: Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?

Monica Marie Jones: Ever since I was a little girl I have used writing as a tool to process my emotions and cope with difficult situations.  I always kept a journal and loved to create my own books out of card board, construction paper and yarn.  I never thought about sharing any of my work until I let a few people read it and I realized how it evoked emotions in them.  It was then that I realized that I was meant to share my gift with the world.


Camille: How many books have you written? Which is your favorite? 

Monica Marie Jones: I have written four books and my favorite is the most recent, "SWAG" because I really feel like I have grown as a writer and other than the editing and the cover design I did this one all on my own.




Camille: Tell us your latest news?
 
Monica Marie Jones: My Latest news is that my new novel, SWAG is set to be released on September 25, 2009.  Also, some of my work has also been chosen to be published in The Souls of Our Young Sisters: The Next Generation of Women Tell Their Stories, Overcome Their Challenges, and Heal Their Spirits (Souls of My Sisters Inc./Kensington Publishing Corp.) anthology in March 2010.
 
Camille:  Thank you for sharing with us today, tell us where we can purchase “The Ups and Downs of Being Round"?

Monica Marie Jones: You can purchase the paperback or the eBook versions of The Ups and Downs of Being Round on my website at http://www.monicamariejones.com/products.htm
 
Camille: Complete this sentence I am blessed because….

Monica Marie Jones: I am blessed because I am perusing my passion and walking in my purpose. 
 
  I would like to thank author Monica Marie Jones for sharing with us today. “The Ups and Downs of Being Round” is a wonderful book to share with a young woman who is struggling with her identity and purpose.
Look for her upcoming urban fiction release SWAG September 25th!

Until the next Artist Diaries…..Peace and Blessings Camille Kleidysz.