Sha Jones, First Time AAMBC Readers’ Choice Nominee, Urban Fiction Veteran
Sha Jones, author of The Coldest Love Ever, may be a first time AAMBC nominee but she’s definitely no stranger to the urban fiction scene. She has published over 20 books and her novels are relatable tales of emotional devastation, messy drama, and black love. AAMBC got a chance to speak with the Houston native and she’s a very down to earth, humble mother of 3, who discovered her love of writing at 6 years old, and attributes her yummy love making scenes to her boyfriend, who her fans loving call “Book Bae”.
AAMBC: How does it feel to be nominated for the AAMBC Readers’ Choice Award?
Sha Jones: I don’t know it feels so crazy because this is not something that I’m used to. I mean, I have been writing for 4 years and there are so many authors out here, some of them have been here for years and are much more successful than I am. So just to see that I was nominated for the readers’ choice, that’s even better because the readers chose me. It’s a really good feeling.
AAMBC: How did you come up with the storyline for The Coldest Love Ever?
Sha Jones: I thought it would be nice to write a story about a broken girl who falls in love and kind of revives the lifelessness inside of herself. I didn’t really have a storyline when I started typing I just knew I wanted to write something deep and something to make my readers gasp. At the beginning of the book, Madonna is raped by her father so that alone is very, very disturbing.
AAMBC: And you are right about that! That opening sentence, Oh My God!! It is attention getting and it really grips you! Were the characters in the book based on real people?
Sha Jones: No they were completely fictional characters. I mean most of the time it is fiction. I might take a love scene or something that I have experienced before and put it in my book but it is never just flat out truth or real characters.
AAMBC: Is it hard for you to write from a male perspective?
Sha Jones: No it’s not. Most of the male characters in my books are usually saviors and superheroes. I write how I would want my man to respond in that type of situation. And my characters are black men so I think it is so important to glorify them. They are here to save the day, they are compassionate and loving.
AAMBC: Have you written any other genres besides fiction?
Sha Jones: I have. I have written thrillers and horror. I just released a book two days ago that I self-published called Untitled and it is about what goes on within the book industry. The book tells the story of three women who go through some of the worst situations. One woman’s child is dying but she still manages to write books, another woman is sleeping in her car with her kids while trying to type and finish her book, and another woman is losing her mind in the process but she is still trying to carry on.
AAMBC: The Coldest Love Ever flows perfectly. By the time I was on chapter two it was like I was watching a movie. Which scene was the hardest for you to write and why?
Sha Jones: When Madonna was sick and her father came in and still raped her. He didn’t care that she was too sick to go to school. It was really difficult writing it because I have two daughters and it is something that you don’t want to see or talk about and you definitely don’t want to experience it. So while typing the scene I had to pull away from my laptop and ask myself Am I crazy or a bad person for actually writing something like this? But then you know, there are people out there who have gone through that and they need to read it so they can kind of come out and say, “Hey this happened to me. I can relate to that.”
AAMBC: How long did it take you to write the book?
Sha Jones: Maybe two and a half weeks
AAMBC: Knowing what you know now about writing, what advice would you give yourself when you were just starting out?
Sha Jones: At one point I took a break from writing, so I would tell myself to continue to be consistent and to focus on story development and character development.
AAMBC: Did you take writing classes or did you learn your craft on your own?
Sha Jones: I learned it on my own. Writing is like any other art, take for instance singing, some people just naturally have the gift to sing and some people just naturally have the gift to write. Writing is just something that comes naturally to me.
AAMBC: What inspires you to write a novel?
Sha Jones: Life inspires me. Being able to write things that people can relate to. Because even though my novels are fiction, I have so many people message me and say Oh My Goodness Sha, it felt so real or I been through this.
AAMBC: Do you prefer writing or typing?
Sha Jones: Definitely typing. I may outline my novel with a pen and paper but definitely typing.
AAMBC: While writing do you prefer silence or some type of noise?
Sha Jones: I need some noise. If it is too quiet, it’s just too boring. I need the television on or something.
AAMBC: Do you have any hidden or uncommon talents?
Sha Jones: Other than the fact that I think I’m psychic sometimes. I can think something like, wouldn’t it be crazy if I went to McDonald’s and they didn’t put cheese on my cheeseburger and then I will go to McDonald’s and they forget to put cheese on my cheeseburger!
AAMBC: If you were not an author or publisher, what other profession would you be employed in?
Sha Jones: I would love to be either an English teacher or a defense attorney. I think I would be a dope attorney because I love a good debate. If I had to choose one of the two, I would go with the attorney.
AAMBC: What is your personal mantra?
Sha Jones: Smile a little, live a lot. I didn’t really smile and socialize a lot so I decided that I would start living for me and being unapologetic about it. I decided that I would smile a little because there is nothing wrong with smiling and live a lot whether I am going to the beach or taking my kids to the park.
AAMBC: Who are your literary inspirations?
Sha Jones: I love Zane’s sex scenes! Her sex scenes are amazing. That’s not the only reason I like her because she is a great writer and I try to be just as great in my writing. Of course, I have always liked Eric Jerome Dickey. When I was younger, his books were what I preferred to read because they just flowed and the stories were just so good. I mean, how does he write stories that are so good! Mary Monroe, I have read a couple of her books and they were great, she wrote the book God Don’t Like Ugly and I loved it. Omar Tyree, he wrote Flyy Girl and I loved that book.
AAMBC: How can your fans keep up to date on your novels?
Sha Jones: Follow me on:
Instagram: @shajonesbooks
Facebook: Sha Jones
Amazon: you can hit the follow button right next to my bio
Want to meet Sha Jones and the other AAMBC nominees and honorees? They will be at the AAMBC Literary Awards on Saturday, June 9th, 2018. Can’t wait until then? Register here for Creative Con on Thursday, June 7th, 2018 here https://thecreativecon.com/.
