Today we’d like to introduce you to Kendra Jones.
Kendra, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I’ve always loved good storytelling, so much so that my mom says I memorized Cinderella when I was two years old. I’m told I knew exactly when to turn the pages of the book and, upon witnessing this, one of my aunts thought I was some sort of child prodigy/genius. But reading was definitely encouraged by my parents from the start. They read to me from infancy and I read on my own as soon as I could.
For me, a love of reading spurred my imagination and led to a love of writing my own stories for the characters that popped up in my head. And even before I understood the mechanics of writing, I would tell my cousins and school friends (and anyone who would listen!) stories because I loved the reactions I got when the story was good. I get the same feeling now when someone reads my book, “The Vicarious Life of Mina Price”, and then takes the time to let me know how much they enjoyed it.
Has it been a smooth road?
Well, as with most everything in life, there have been bumps along the way. “The Vicarious Life of Mina Price” is my first published work, but it’s not my first finished work. That distinction belongs to a novel I finished over fifteen years ago. I started it after I graduated college and it actually took me six years to write because I was also trying to establish myself as a full-fledged, bona fide, self-supporting adult during that time. That book was definitely a labor of love! After I completed my opus, I began the process of querying agents. I wrote and rewrote (and rewrote) my query letter and agonized over my sample (for those who accepted unsolicited samples) before finally mailing out my first big batch of letters.
And, of course, I was devastated to receive my first rejection. Most of the responses were form letters, but I tried to take any suggestions offered and incorporate them. And then I sent out another big batch of query letters and got more rejection letters. I filled a rather large three-ring binder over the next couple of years. I got discouraged from hearing no and figured it was time to find another creative outlet. But the urge to tell the stories swirling around in my head never left me and I was constantly jotting down plot ideas, character descriptions, and bits of dialogue. I have a treasure trove of works in progress!
We’d love to hear more about your work.
A couple of years ago, two of my good friends each published their own non-fiction book and I was inspired to start writing again. I’d also become friends with a writer who successfully self-published her work. When she offered to walk me through that process, which can be very daunting, I decided it was time to give writing another try and I began what would eventually become “The Vicarious Life of Mina Price” in October of 2018. It took a little over a year to finish the book, and then several more months of editing and formatting and working with a graphic artist on the cover before the book was exclusively released on Amazon in July 2020.
One of the most important things for me with my writing is that my characters are relatable. They’re women who could be your sister, favorite cousin or best girlfriend. They could even be you! One of the best compliments I get is when a reader tells me, “Mina felt so familiar to me. I was like, ‘oh, I know her!'”. I also want to be truthful with how I portray what I refer to as ‘the trials and tribs of life’, but present them in a humorous way because laughter is essential for me. After prayer, I know having a sense of humor has gotten me through lots of things I’ve faced, even the really hard stuff. That may sound silly or out of touch, given the current times, but I think finding things that lift our spirit and make us laugh or smile helps how we view things a lot more than we realize.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
I’m blessed to have lots of friends in North Texas after working and living there for many years. My friends, along with my family members who live in South Dallas, have been extremely encouraging and supportive of my debut novel, “The Vicarious Life of Mina Price”. I also think Dallas is an awesome location to network and make moves because it’s so expansive and diverse! I was very happy to see the push over the summer to support black businesses and artists, and I hope that continues indefinitely. I’m an African American woman writing stories from an African American perspective using African American characters. We have a wonderful and unique viewpoint and representation matters!
Pricing:
- E-book is $3.99 on Amazon
- Paperback is $10.99 on Amazon
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kendrajwrites/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kendrajwrites
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/kendrajwrites
Image Credit:
Photographer: kjones_photography
Model: _ashley_jy
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