Bryan Keith
Jones, author of
Return to Antioch, was gracious to share information with The
Sistah Circle Book Club.
We thank you for your participation, Bryan!
-SCBC,
Inc.
Where are you from?
I am from a small town in Louisiana, Delhi, it's about thirty miles
east of Monroe.
How has your environment/upbringing
colored your writing?
Obviously growing up African-American has cause me to write from an
Afrocentric point of view, also my parents instilled in me a sense of
being myself. That's why I attempt to be as positive and original
in my writing as possible.
When and why did you begin writing?
I think it was around the 3rd grade. I participated in a lot of
school plays as a youth and realized early on the power of the written
word. I loved the way books provided an escape for a young man,
that's what writing does for me too. The ability to tell a great
story with interesting characters is enormously gratifying to one's ego
also.
When did you first consider yourself a
writer?
I've always knew I had the ability to write but really considered
myself a writer when a essay I wrote entitled (Why Do They Hate Us?) was
received warmly and I was encouraged to continue writing. My words
had touched someone other than my small circle of family and friends, I
knew then, that I was a writer.
Do you have a specific writing style?
Yes. I'd have to say that my writing style is one that keeps
you entertained yet causes you to think.
What genre are you most comfortable
writing?
I like fictional mysteries. I like for my readers to consider
all the possibilities to the stories I write.
What books have most influenced your life?
I like books about the human struggle and man's ability to overcome
great odds. That can be Dickens's Great Expectation or Homer's
Iliad to The Autobiography of Malcolm X. Historical biographies
have also influenced me a great deal.
What do you do to set the mood for
writing?
Actually, I write when the mood hits me. Normally though, I
write when it quiet and I am alone. I find my thoughts flow better
when I have some soft Jazz playing in the background.
What are you reading right now?
I've just finished reading Maya Angelou's I Know Why The Cage Bird
Sings for the third time and currently I am reading Omar Tyree's Sweet
St. Louis.
How do you feel overall about
self-publishing?
For a new author it's the best way to get your work published.
It is gratifying to me because I have total control of my project.
I love to write and I want the public to read my work, for that to
happen, because I am unknown, self-publishing has been a
Godsend.
What are your current projects?
While I continue to promote Return To Antioch, I am working on two
other books; But Baby.... is a contemporary story about an age old
subject (love and relationships) and I am finishing up the sequel to
Antioch, it's tentatively entitled Whispers in The Wind.
Do you feel more African Americans are
reading?
Sadly, I don't. What is so unfortunate about that is the
difficult struggle our ancestors faced just to have the right to read
and the importance that reading will play in our children's future.
Reading is the key to unlock many doors. I hope to inspire and
encourage all of us to make reading a must.
Do you see writing as a long or short-term
career?
I see it as long term. Writing is my talent and gift from God
and I intend to use this gift to the best of my ability.
Bryan Keith
Jones