About

My name is Tracy James Jones and I am a blogger, reviewer, writer, former actor & artist, with much love for books, film, music, and open-minded, friendly people. :o) I write true-to-life like stories, novels & screenplays with real characters set in realistic human situations.  In terms of genre, I write interracial multicultural romantic drama with an unexpected twist.

Bio:

Born and raised in Waxahachie & Dallas, Texas, I have had a lifetime love affair with the entertainment industry.  Starting with singing in my church choir, I later ventured into stage productions with my local community theater and eventually feature films. 

I started writing in high school, with the help of an amazing Journalism teacher, which I continued as my major in college, with a minor in mass communications.  Switching from journalism to creative writing came into play after I was offered the opportunity to write the life story of a local boxer, which later became a documentary film.  Writing his story opened the door for me to begin writing my own novels and short stories.  

To date, my literary portfolio is 24 pages long, featuring talent resume, newspaper articles, book tours, author events, book promotions, and reviews.  My writing includes 2 screenplay adaptations of my original fiction novels, “Searching For Eden” & “The Inhabitants of Magnolia Park.”   My novel, “Secrets & Lies,” is also being formatted for film.  Altogether, I have four novels and two short stories available on Amazon.  I am officially the first Black American Mainstream/Contemporary Romance Author from my hometown.

In the future I plan to write more human interest novels & short stories. I also hope to translate more of my work for screen.  At present time, all of my books are available on amazon.  Free shorts and excerpts are available on my blog and/or wattpad.com.

About Me:

According to a close relative, I was raised in a perpetual glass box, over protected from the woes of the real world around me.   To a degree I accept this description because my early years were spent with my maternal grandmother who indeed sheltered and taught me only the good things about life.   Through her, I learned to treat people the way I wanted to be treated, and to respect all others despite any differences.   I lost my grandmother at the age of nine, but the things she taught me would last throughout my life.  Once she was gone, the blinders were lifted.  I was to never be a stranger to the hardships of life again.  The hardest of all has been love, death, & prejudice.  The joys have been a loving family and life-long friends. Most special are my mom and dad, who have been my champions throughout everything I have envisioned to achieve in my life.  I am so blessed in more ways than I could have ever imagined.

About My Writing:

Growing up shy, as far back as I can remember I have always been observant of people around me.  I’ve always had a fascination regarding how they reacted in all sorts of situations.  I love human emotions.  It’s like if someone smiled, I always felt compelled to smile back, or if someone were sad, I felt sad with them.    This compassion I have for others is often reflected in my work because it breathes life into my characters.  I Like that. It’s an important factor to my creativity.   It also speaks to the kind of person I believe I am.

Note: No matter which of my novels or short stories are reviewed, someone will always say that my work is very thought-provoking as it opens your eyes to social issues that are often over looked. And you know what? I like that. It is my honor to give a voice to those who are barely seen, often misunderstood, and hardly ever heard. I know how that is because I was one of them. To know that my work is challenging to that condition makes it all worthwhile. :o)

Awards/Achievements:

• Letter of Appreciation – Waxahachie Chamber Of Commerce
• (Featured Performer with The Miss Waxahachie Pageant – (4 years)
• 1^st Local Book Signing Event – “No Tears For A Hero”  – 1995
• 1^st National Book Signing Tour – “Searching For Eden” – 2003
• Local Author Achievement Acknowledgement Event -2003
• Guest Speaker – Italy High School Creative Writing Class – 2004
• “The Crush” – Flash Fiction/Short Story – 2011
• “Secrets & Lies 2 – A Family Affair” – Novel – 2012
• “Paper Images – Short Story – 2012
• “Peyton’s Playmate” – Short Story – 2012
• “The Inhabitants of Magnolia Park” – Novel/screenplay – 2012
• “Torn: Sixty Days of Calaboose” – Novel  2014

Other Acclaim:

• Guest Judge for the 2013 RONE` (Romance Novel) Awards (Las Vegas)
• Featured in the 2013 International Indie-Vengeance Day Author Event (Dallas)
• Guest Judge for the 2014 HuffPost50/AARP Memoir Contest
• Guest Judge for the 2014 RONE` (Romance Novel) Awards (Las Vegas)
• Guest Judge for the 2014 Rainbow Books Awards
• Featured Author in the Transcending Gender Project  (New York – 2014)
• Featured Author in the Dallas Voice 2016
• Featured in the documentary film “Between The Shades.” 2016

 Contact Links:

Amazon’s Author Page

Smashword’s Author Page

LinkedIn

Webpage

Blog

Facebook

Twitter

Goodreads

Wattpad

NetworkedBlogs

Book Blogger List

Muck Rack: http://muckrack.com/hatchiekid

Google +: https://plus.google.com/117753724313839692993

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/hatchiekid/

 

Early Performing Projects:

Stage:	Waxahachie Community Theater “The Unsinkable Molly Brown” (2 characters) The Miss Waxahachie Pageant  (Four years) Featured Pageant Performer (1Year)
Film:	“Places In The Heart” – Background Extra “Square Dance” – Featured Extra & Stand In  “Love Hurts” – Featured Extra “Born On The Fourth of July” – Featured Extra
Voice:	Featured Singer for:  Frivolous Kate’s Fashion Show Radisson Hotel – Dallas, Texas

My Author Interview Links

M.J Kane Guest Post: 

http://thiswriterslife-mjkane.blogspot.com/2012/11/guest-feature-secrets-lies-by-tracy.html

My musical inspirations by Justin Bog

http://justinbog.com/top-10-music-picks-that-help-tracy-james-jones-create/

Interview: Lynn Hallbrooks @ Call Signs Wrecking Crew

http://callsignwreckingcrew.blogspot.com/2012/08/author-interview-tracy-james-jones.html

https://tracyjamesjones.wordpress.com/2012/08/08/my-author-interview/

http://bookstomorrow.blogspot.com/2011/12/showcasing-secrets-lies-by-tracy-james.html?spref=fb

http://expertscolumn.com/content/reader-exchange-interview-tracy-james-jones

http://jennifersbookreviews.blogspot.com/2011/09/author-interview-tracy-james-jones.html

My favorite Author Interview: Kitty Honeycutt-Bullard c/o GMTA Book Club;

https://www.facebook.com/notes/tracy-james-jones/my-favorite-author-interview-co-great-minds-think-aloud-book-club/10150370910676127  (Short link: http://on.fb.me/rNBhiu)

There for You: http://thereforyoumelissa.blogspot.com/2011/11/author-interview-tracy-james-jones.html

Bee’s Knees:  http://beeskneesreviews.blogspot.com/2011/11/author-interview-tracy-james-jones.html

Bees Knees FB:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bees-Knees-Reviews/185378404850304

Book Reviews:

http://www.independentauthors.org/2011/09/secrets-lies/

http://bookstomorrow.blogspot.com/2011/12/showcasing-secrets-lies-by-tracy-james.html

http://thereforyoumelissa.blogspot.com/2011/12/review-of-secrets-lies-by-tracy-james.html